Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-03-17
Business in This State
IFrom the Phila. Press. ]


However merchants and manufac-
turers may feel about the future,
there is one class of business men
who have every reason to be optim-
istic. They are the farmers, whose
broad acres are now carpeted with
the beautiful green of winter wheat.
For every bushel of grain which the
farmers harvest from these fields
they are assured of q market of.
S2.26, because Uncle Sam has guar
anteed to pay that price.
a ride across Pennsylvania by
daylight discloseS that the wheat
fields are more numerous than US
ual. One of the Lancaster county
farmers who boarded the train said
that all farmers in his section had
sown as much wheat as usual and
many of them had gown more. The
growth of. the crop is farther adj
Vanced than usual, but the farmers
are not apprehensive as they do not
anticipate severe freezing at this
late day of the winter season. OF
course, the farmer has his grieV-
ances on account of the scarcity and
high cost of farm labor and the
inferior quality and high price OF
fertilizers, but with the government
guarantee of a market at a big price
for his wheat, the wheat growers
are in n far better position than are
the manufacturers and merchants,
especially as all the wheat fields
show wonderfully even stand,
there being very few bare spots
But the view from the car window
tells another story. Upon the sidings
stand thousands. of idle cars. silent
Indicators of the falling off of traffic
since the termination of the war.
One may wonder why the govern
ment is ordering more freight cars
at a time when so many are not in
use, but it has always been the
policy of railroad managers to look
ahead. They know by experience
that a period of partial suspension
of industry and consequent falling
off of traffic is sure to be followed
by a boom when there will be
great demand for cars. So the idle
cars will be shunted into repair
shops to. be oVerhauled while the
orders for new cars are being exc
cuted,, And the farmers prosperity
is one basis for the boom that is
surely coming and for which the
railroads must make preparations.
Iron and steel plants at Coates
vile, Steelton and Johnstown are not
running to full capacity. At Johns
town the Cambria Steel Company
has erected q huge bulletin board
on which are placed the names of
1854 employees who entered the SER
vice of the government during the
war. At night the board is illumi-
mated so that the names may be
read by passengers in the cars.
At Johnstown there alighted, an
attractive young mother with iher
bright little five year old daughter
On the platform she was greeted by
a sturdy mill worker who clasped
her in his arms and gave her
resounding kiss. Then he picked
up the child, hugged her and kissed
her several times. But the Bolshe-
Wiki would have none of this. The
wife would not be the mans alone;
the child would be raised by the
state. They would destroy the fam
riy. tie and annihilate one of the
greatest joys of life. The great
Cambria plant is made possible not
merely by the capital of the Midvale
Steel Corporation, but by the am
bition and industry of the workers
based upon family ties. If Ameri-
cans adhere to the principles on
which they have builded her in
dustries will continue to thrive and
expand.
The Pittsburgh district is smoky
by day. One can scarcely imagine 1t
differently in recent years, but the
great steel plants are no longer un-
der war pressure and are not work.
ing at capacity by any means. Many
pIants are closed at night and the
usual glow is missing. Most plants
are working on part time only.