The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-11-30

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buying very little in the last year and
even up to a few months ago feared
to trust the permanency of the new
prosperity.
1.-The banks are begging business
men to draw money. The country has
money-that is the sole explanation
of the prosperity
X. C. Merchants Hail Prosperity.
Kansas City, Mo, Nov. 30.-Bump-
er crops and increased outputs of
mines and factories all marketed at
war prices have left a profit in Kan
sas City and Kansas City trade terri
tory which will make the Christmas
shopping season just opening the
most prosperous known in many
years, according to E. NJ. Clendening,
secretary of the Kansas City Com
mercial club.
mot in my experience in this ter
ritory has there ever been so much
money to spend or such a general at
mosphere of prosperity" Mr.. Glen
dening said today.
Kansas City merchants have made
enormous preparations for the con-
templated increase in Christmas
trade, E. J. Coffin, secretary of the
merchants association, said. Every
with the association began months ago
increasing and charging their stocks
in preparation for the rush.
Throughout Kansas, Oklahoma,
Arkansas, southern Nebraska and
southern Iowa and western Missouri
MESA ges of unusual prosperity have
stirred the Kansas City merchants to
increased action in the past few
weeks.
South Enjoys Big Business.
Atlanta, Ga, Nov. 0.-Merchants
in the larger population centers of the
southeastern section of the country
are Of the opinion that the December
business will be larger than for sew
eral years. Retail stores in Atlanta
have laid in larger stocks than usual
at this season of the year, and early
Christmas trade is justifying these
preparations, according to a statement
today by Grover Magehee, secretary of
the Atlanta Retail Merchants associa-
ton.
Tampa merchants are reported to
have made greater preparation than
in years. The business barometer
there is considered by many to be the
cigar shipments and these have
broken weekly records frequently this
autumn.
Savannah and Charleston both re-
port that retail merchants are enjoying
healthy early Christmas trade, and ex-
pect increases over recent years.
Waycross, Ga, began celebrating
prosperity week. yesterday. The
program includes greeting messag
from President Wilson and speakers
known throughout Georgia
Mississippi Valley Smiles.
Memphis, Tenn, Nov 30.-Business
conditions in the Mississippi valley
are vastly better this season than for
two years past, in the opinion of lead
ing wholesale and retail dealers of this
city.
Abundant crops which brought high
prices have given the country people
more ready money, which already has
resulted in brisk holiday buying, ac-
cording to Oscar Cleveland, secretary
of the Memphis Association of Credit
Men. THE south learned its lesson in
more than a year ago, and
the big crops of this year were raised
on a cheap basis,' said Mr.. Cleveland.
The average planter, in addition to
his cotton planted more foodstuffs,
and therefore has more money to
spend in other lines of trade. He also
four to six cents a pound
more for his cotton than a year ago.
Collections are better now than in
several years and there are fewer
failures and adjustments.
Similar conditions also are reported
from Little Rock, Helena, Pine Bluff,
Vicksburg, Jackson, Miss, Jackson,
Tenn, and other points in the Missis-
sippi valley, according to Mr.. Cleve-