South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-05-20
Prosperity Signs

While confidence is undiminished,
actual progress is provokingly slow,
the gains and losses about offsetting
each other. Perhaps the situation
can best be described as a spreading
out Of activity which though not of
large volume, is looked upon as a
basis of an upward tendency. Fail
ures continue abnormal, the liabili-
ties for April running considerably
over $4O,OOO.O0O as compared with
S,365,553 for the same period last
year The failures for the week num-
bered 447 as compared with sos dur
ing the corresponding week last year.
Bank clearings throughout the cOun-
try last week showed an increase of
IL per cent over the corresponding
week of last year, but locally there
was a falling off of Sal, 900. Rail-
road earnings still show q decrease as
compared with a year ago, but at the
same time a steady Improvement
over January, February and March.
Building operations throughout the
country and locally are disappoint-
ing, but there is still time to bring up
the. average of the season. Our sales
abroad, while diminishing. are still
of large proportions and will no
doubt remain so.
The first reports from the income
and corporation tax seem 10 indicate
larger returns than was expected and
may reduce the deficit by over $780,
100000. 1t is reported that many
government payments are being put
over till the next fiscal year and in
spite of the general fund being down
to only S20.000.000. it is believed that
the situation can be financed without
resOrting to a bond issue yet.
Outside of the national treasury
the finances of the country are in
most excellent condition. We are still
importing gold, paying obligations and
building up our credits. All this
must influence the general industrial
situation in time to an appreciable
degree. 1t is believed that May will
show substantial results towards a
realization of the more satisfactory
progress that should soon come
Dispatch. Erie, Pa. May 8. 1915.
No matter how much the politicians
of the standpat variety may indulge
in calamity bowling the solid bus
mess men Of the nation are preparing
for the greatest tidal wave of pros
perity the nation has ever eXper-
fenced. This was evident from the
tenor of the speeches made at the
meeting of the American Academy
of Political and Scientific Science in
Philadelphia on Friday. Pres't John
son Of the Baldwin locomotive works,
one of the largest employers of labor
in the country who a year ago was
bitterly criticising the Wilson admin
stratiOn. said "Our trade balance
has already reached a billion dollars
and an Improvement in business con-
ditions has set in which will go> on
until the gates OF prosperity are wide
open 20 US"
Little comfort in that for Sen. Pen
rose. who sees naught but ruin star
ing us in the face.
But most important of all was the
announcement by Sec'y Redheld that
we are fast becoming a creditor in
stead OF "A debtor nation. A floating
debt of four hundred million dollars
has been paid in American goods and
We are saving money al an astonish-
ing rate
Big business is beginning 10 realize
that II can be big without Substituting
a political party. If the money spent
i'm previous years in campaign con-
tributions is devoted 10 building up
business every one will be better for
it, with the exception Of the polite
ians who lived well on the blackmail
they collected from manufacturers.
Star, Allentown. Pa May 3. 1915.
The war with all its horrors is pill
ing up money in America as never
before known. Every sane man who
has a heart earnestly desires 10 see
il close. II. however. 1t must go on
IL is fortunate for this country that
it is in position 10 recover from