The Harrison times., 1915-02-13
BUSINESS REVIVAL
SEEMS GENERAL
Steamship Wharves Crowded and the
Farmer More Prosperous Than Ever
Before in Country History. Balance
cf Trade in Our Favor Reflects Con-
dition Of Ma tional Prosperity.
STEEL IS A BAR0ME TER.

From every quarter comes reports
of renewed business activity. In
many lines business is booming as
never before. The present situation
is we'll depicted in a speech delivered
a few days ago by Secretary of Com
merce Redheld, who said in part:
How great the contrast between
the financial facts of August and
those Of February /, Then the cur.
rents of exchange ceased to flow,
and for a time ceased also the move.
nent of our great trade. Now one
finds exchange plenty and cheap,
and few have witnessed such an out.
ward rush Of merchandise as today
taxes our ports and overwhelms our
shipping facilities. The progress has
been steady. The temporary adverse
trade balance of the summer was
changed to a favorable balance on
merchandise transactions in Septem-
Der of S16,O0O,OOO. This was mul-
tipled by three in october, and to
the total 80 per cent was added in
November and almost another 50
per cent in December when the favor
able balance was SllO,000,OOO. The
facts thus far during February are
such as 20 show a probability that
this will be exceeded during the pres.
ent month,
"Our floating debt to Europe,
which it was once felt might have to
be paid fully in gold, has instead
been paid in goods, and more than
paid. So that there seems to have
begun an inward flow of gold re.
spending to the reduction in the
price of exchange
1T must be remembered, too, that
most of this has been done without
the presence in our exports OF that
which has at this season usually
been largest Of all, namely, cotton,
This has now begun to move and at
rising prices, justifying the hope that
since our current debts abroad are
paid we may accumulate further
credit balances. Surely this is a
strong financial position, a sound
basis for courage
"Coincidcnt with this nature be.
came generous 10 us, There are two
places at least in America where no
one dares TO talk pcssmism, One is
on the wharyes in our ports and the
other is on our farms The men
who have been raising wheat know
nothing of distress; and the steam.
ship whose crowded hold | entered
the other day gave no sign of dis.
astcr. / AN told that not only have
we bumper crops OF cotton and
wheat, but that we have a surplus
also Of over forty million barrels Of
apples above last year, which il ia.
cilities can be found 20 ship them,
will be eagerly taken abroad, 1t is
not long, however, since sixty car.
loads OF them lay in this port unable
60 find transit abroad.
ALL TURN TO AMERICA.
THE world turns 10 rs today for
goods, Tor food, for raw materials
We draw from all the nations orders
for that we have to sell, Just as we
are selling to all the bellgcrents,
81 do not mean by this 60 imply
that the consequences OF war can be
fruitful only of good to any one. We
have had our ,b1re Of wars Ills, as
those who have carried the country
through the recent months know
and it still impcnds os q cloud upon
us alI IL has, however had as an
incidental effect the necessary result
that when two Uut Ol the three
greatest nations doing International
trade are busy in destructive tasks
we must Cor the timeatleast become
in part the beneficiary of that which
they have laid aside