The Washington times., 1916-05-28

That the height of the tide OF indus
trial prosperity which has swept over
the United States during the last year
has been reached. and that there now
are evidences OF a tendency on the part
Of big business to slacken the pace and
proceed more cautiously. is the opinion
expressed in many quarters.
The most significant incentive to
causSn." says Henry Clews g. Co.. has
been the late. rise In commodities and
wages. which has so increased the cost
Of doing b,>siness as to impose q wide
spread check upon new enterprise. In
brief the rise seems to have been over
done for the time being at least, and re-
dictionary tendencies are already at
work. This Is noticeable even in the
iron trade. which, though holding orders
extending into 1911. finds new demands
less urgent. and prices In some instances
decidedly softer when COMPARED with
conditions month ago. New munition
orders are. Of course. coming less freely,
and high costs are impeding new con-
struction work. while the railroads are
combining their OUTLAWS to necessary
replenishment. In no direction Ii there
any marked development OF new rail-
road construction, a fact which Is some-
what remarkable In view OF the mucn
improved state OF, affairs In the railroad
world. In the drug and chemical trade
there IL also q decided reaction. In the
dry goods and grocery trades there Is
also a slackening of demand. though no
general weakness of prices and no gen.
eral unsettlement. In these lines or
trade there Ia a spirit of confidence,
and values are well maintained
Bradstreet says optimism as to the fu-
ture Is as strong as ever. but persistent
peace talk, high nrices, previous feVertsh
buying, uncertainty about crops, the
Presidential nominations and the Ell
fects of unsettled weather. are influ-
ences that naturally tend to temper
fresh DEVELOPMENTS.
"Withal," adds Bradstreets, general
trade is well sustained. even though
the pace Is relatively less rapid; job
bers, principally at the smaller centers.
report the receipt OF filling In orders.
mail order business is Of record pro-
portions. and at some points retail dis
tribution has similarly expanded. Labor
Is still scarce. strikes for higher COM
penst ton continue to prove SUCCESSFUL.
and in some instances these manifesto
lions inconvenience movements
A similar feeting Is expressed by n.
G. Dun & Co.. who says. Continuing
remarkably prosperous, business has
gained in wholesome characteristics
through the recent cessation Of price
advances In certain commodities. BUS
tainment of consumptive demands In
unprecedented NOluU1e with Costs fiSlHs
RAPIDLY has been an economic phe-
nom. ron for months past, but that ulti-
mately a point would be reached at
which buying would slacken. was obvi-
Gus. Evidences OF abatement are by no
means general, and nothing indicates
diminished purchasing power. yet In
branches where forward requirements
are already largely provided for some
hesitation. with shrinkage in new or
ders, Is natural"
In a recent address before the South
ern Wholesale Grocers' Association. In
Memphis, DR.. Edwin E. Pratt. chief of
the Bureau OF Foreign Commerce, spoke
| most enthusiastically about the condi.
| ton of the foreign trade Of the United
States. and characterized the situation
| today as one OF unprecedented pros
perity."
All parts of the country" said he
| ARE sharing in the advantages OF a
great production of high prices. and
continually increasing profits. The best
indices of the domestic prosperity of the
United States are the railway earnings
production OF pig iron. building opera.
tons. bank clearances. and a study OF
| the statistics will quickly reveal the
realty OF our prosperity.
| THE mere statement that our foreign
trade In the calendar year 1915 amounted
to IS 1888. 900, 900, as compared with our
foreign trade in 1913 OF A.277 .0co, 900