Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-03-13
THE STATE or BUSINESS.


from those Of preceding weeks, the
story they tell being one Of sustained
activity. with production much below
unstinted demand. Buying in most
extensive scale, car shortages and en-
bargoes have become more serious
vess els to take out exports are lacking.
the scarcity of dyestuffs is acute, labor
is in scant supply, jobs are more num-
erous than seekers, wages keep on ris-
ing, and large employers find it more
profitable to placate their employees
than to resist their demands. Better
employment at relatively high wages
has brought on increased demands for
staple articles and enlarged savings
accounts In fact, banks practically
everywhere are surfeited with money
there is more doing in real estate, the
leading producer of steel reports record
orders on its books, likewise intends to
spend S35OOO.000 on a new plant and
improvements. pig iron is being pro-
duced at an unprecedented rate cur
rent sales of the metal are heavy, mills
making finished steel are heavily over
sold, and such extraordinary necessity
for ore exists that shippers can not
wait for nature to thaw the iCe-clogged
shipping ports; bank clearings greatly
exceed those Of one and two years ago,
money is in better demand, collections
are good, and development work in the
oil and mining districts is active. Re-
tail trade in spring goods has been
of heavy weight articles have been
further depleted. Winter wheat crop
reports are irregular, but those from
the southwest, excluding Texas, are IA
vorahe. especially so from Kansas and
Nebraska. Illinois and Ohio reports are
poor On the other hand, the stu
alton. excellent as it is, is not without
shadows. Rising prices tend to super
induce caution. railway employees In
the west seem intent upon forcing their
demands for an eight-hour working
day. and just as our European inter-
national relations appeared to be I'M
proving, the Mexican situation becomes
threa tening, the prospect at writing
being that United States troops will
enter Mexico in pursuit OF bandits.
Deliveries of dry goods are slower
than usual. largely because of the dye
stuff situation. Lumber mills are busy,
trade in furniture is good, demand for
jewelry is better. shoe factories are &C
tive. manufa cturers of trunks and bags
are doing more than in years, paper
mills, as we'll as manufacturers OF bags
and twine, are on full time, and a plea
to the public to save old rags and
waste paper has been made. Manufac-
;uTeIs OF mems and wUnlens wear re
port good orders, long unusual Phtla-
delphia sugar refinery has been re-
opened. millinery is in demand, manu-
facturers Of waists need more help TO
get out orders, cigar factories are
working full handed. silk mills are run
ming full time, sales Of fertilizers are
larger, but it is thought that the lack
Of potash content will restrict their
utility: good sales of automobiles are
noted, mine and mill supplies, also
ha rdware, are in excellent demand. and,
Of course, munition plants and allied
ines are pushed TO the utmost. In fact,
the chief difficulty is the getting ma
those in the warm as we'll as very cold
climates OF the country. report record
business. steam coal, following the
Of the bituminous miners
demands. is less active.
Bradstreets reports:
Cheerful reports come from the
northwest, and cold weather has mace
further !nrOads on heavy goods, with
metal industries az all centers report
ing difficulty in getting material.
advices disclose actiV-
ity with textile mills unable to make
deliveries. one point noted being that
an order placed last July for tianneis Is
still undelivered. incidentally, grain IS
moving slowly because cars are scarce
Western reports denot smart move
ments In the far northwest dlstclbu'
lion is improving and lumber Is COM
manding better prices. the supply haV-
ing been curtailed by heavy snowfalls
Pacific coast news is good, open
wea Their having helped business. Re-
ports from the industrial and lumhef
producing regions leave little to be de-
sired. but some of the cities allied to
the agricultural regions display eau
ton. In the east the situation Is prac-
tically every aspect Is one Of unparal-
leled activity, altho frequent snow
storms temporarily retard early calls
for spring goods.