The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-05-27
GENERAL REVIEW Of
TRACE CONDITION
Markets Appear Stable With Plenty
of Work I'm All
Lines

of Work I'm All
LINES
Nc marked change In general bust
ness conditions was made manifest
during the week Just closed with the
exception OF the drop III the prices of
cereals There is still the hating or
indecisi0n due TO the uncertainty Of
the national legislation Oh taxation
and tariff, the doubt as TO what read
justment OF merchan dising the war is
10 cause. and, last but not least the
influence OF unreasonable weather
which has persisted go long, AS
against these are certain factors.
some already apparent and others in
prospect, that auguT very favorably.
one of these IS the change in senu-
ment as regards the policy of parsi-
mony in buying It Is recognized that
there will be less of extravaganza
than there uas during the last year
or SO OF flush times. and that saving
will be more popular The subscrip-
lions TO the Liberty loan will help
in this direction almost as much as
will the higher cost OF living. But
tie real normal needs of the Ameri-
can people call for great deal OF
clothing as Wen us food. When TO
these are added the extra requirements
needed for the eQuipping and arming
of large military force there will
be plenty of occupation for all the
workers OF the country. and the mills
and factories Will continue 70 run fun
TIT, with all that this implies in the
way Of steady work and high wages.
What has already been ordered as
stf-tS this -fsatftAf4 ~ emily the begin
ming has been made. 1t may yet be
question as to whether e will be
possible, with all the country's pro-
ductive capacity, to meet all the
wants Of civilians as we'll.
They Oppose Trade Accepsanccs.
A number of weeks ago attention
was called I'm these columns TO the
weak point in the movement for
trade oeptances. This was briefly.
that the advantage 70 the buyer
who is a retailer--was not made man
ifest. while the advantage TO the
seller was only too apparent The
u Ohio Retail Dry Goods association
by formal action has gone beyond
this. its board q trustees having
passed a resolution IN opposition 10
the use OF acceptances. They give
reasons for their action They SAY
for example. it would be a backward
step TO have retailers give notes in
payment OF their accounts, Then,
too. the acceptances would relieve
manufacturers and wholesalers OF re-
sponsibilities TO the retailer In the
way OF shipping goods on time and
the like: would place the latter's Ia
bilities too much in one hand by
centralizing notes for all his pur-
chases in the hands OF the banker"
thereby taking h csc liabilities
naway from the man who makes the
than with flR
who wants the money" AS TO this
last mentioned, the point is made
that the merchant who needs some
short accommodation feels that his
3satan a faGfurer Is @-Yaore Interested In
assisting him and can better afford
it. In view of the proft he rs making.
Il Is also asserted that acceptances
would provide ca pisal for the manu-
facturer and tobber AT the inconve-
n4ence and expense Of the retailer
enabling The former to DO business
with smaller capital The board
gives rap at the credit men for sd
vocating the acceptances saving the
latter are doing = because they will
thereby gain q tool 10 force The STOP
ping of giving datings and discounts
Which side is light in its contention
OF what is best is Yet 10 be deter
mined r. is certain. however that
hfig ItCt I4Nht}ttN v Ut j4pt bVIottiU VI"
general custom unless the retailers
consent. and they must be shown"
He Simply Can't Stop.
The spokesman for the Republ can
Publicity association, whose tripod
Is in Washington. Is hard put TO II
nowadays TO justify his right 10 off,
cial existence. His main function has
hitherto been 10 Issue statements, at
more or less irregular intervals and
when they were most uutimely. urg-
Ing The enactment of higher tariff du-
ties. About a month or so ago he
gave out one Of those statements urg-
ing the imposition of more duties
for the contradictory reasons that
they would check imports and pro-
duce more revenue This produced
nothing more than a guffaw, and was
not even taken seriously by the high
tariff Republicans in congress Now
another statement is issued. This one
does not even mention the tariff 1t
sieela inns against the right of the gov
eminent 20 obtain It's supplies at
lower rates than does tho private citi-
zen. He argues thus. II such lower
price he exacted by the government
there is q practical admission either
that the private citizen is paying too
much or that the r0vernTn ent IS I'M
Justly discriminating against some
Of rs citizens by com polling them to
keil az a loss" This principle would.
II generally accepted. compel retail
ers to sell 70 the general public at
the same prices that wholesalers pay
20 manufacturers It would also
compel the carriage. ct carload rates.
of small packages sent by rail and
would even prevent stores from sell
Ing AZ lever rates to customers pro-
viding their own delivery The eu-
thor OF the statement probably does
not agree with his own utterances. He
has simply fallen into the habit OF
getting out pronuncia mentos, and
cant stop.
That Dumping Fable Once More
There are some notions which per-
sist IN the face Of all reason and fact.
One of them Is the seduiously cuiti-
waited one that the Germans have
been working feyerishly to produce
and store a lot Of goods which will
be dumped" into this country the