El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-04-10

look
Retail houses are doing m al
most unprecedented trade. money
seems plentiful and there's net as
much OF that hesitation in buying
which = heard about further east.
Indeed. people are beginning TO
build homes and buy real estate
AID 20 make purchases in seem
ing Indifference TO the caution OF
those who believe prices must
drop. On the other hand. there is
more Of a fear Of rising prices
than Il decline and business men
insist il is not necessary 20 reduce
wages.
The answer to the very evident
prosperity and liveliness OF this sec
lion is TO be found in the psyche
logical factors-the state OF mind Of
People Are Buying.
One man expresses it thus: 7 prac-
ticed thrift during the war. I econo-
mixed rigidly- Now, -ue war is over,
I need many things That i have been
purposelv doing without ! have the
money why shouldn't I buy these
thinEsl'
So there IS a sort OF q reaction
against the self-imposed restrictions
in war time which may or may not
be responsible for the tremendous
business being done by the retail
merchants and department stores here
as Wen as in Pittsburg and Buffalo
Advertising is greater than it has
been in many months Poster and
street car space are crowded. also
the newspapers and magazines. Why.
the advertising men tell me they never
saw such an upward turn OF pessl-
mism one hears practically nothing.
There seems TO be an underlying feel
ing that economically speaking, Amer
lea is absolutely sound and getting
ready for a boom While one likes
TO think these things and must be
careful not 20 let the wish become
father TO the thought Z have been
pleasantly surprised by the plain un-
dercurrent Of confidence which runs
through Ohio and western Pennsyl-
vania-
Democrats in had
Politically. northern OHIO is very
much Ike the central part Of the
state. much displeased with the Demo-
cratic management Of things The
best analysis OF the situation here
which I obtained from all the Demo-
Gratis and Republicans with whom ]
talked came from a man who Is q
personal friend OF the president, a
staunch Democrat and liberal one
too. a man who in my previous travels
in this section has always seemed
TO make prophecies that subsequently
proved untrue.
Il must admit" he said. that NJ.
Wilson's prestige has declined, partly
] because OF the situation Of his party
and partly because Of the failure O
get peace. The latter fact may change
with development. but I have yet %
Z find a Democrat or Republican who
did not. or still does not, resent the
Z letter sent out by the president last
fan asking for a Democratic con-
gress- The effects are stll notice
able There hasn't been much change
-eu cal "a nc
I feeling against the president has lately
. become intensified because Of tht
seeming inability to get results al
Why President Failed.
The man / am quoting sees many
+ reasons why the president failed q
sense public opinion properly last
autumn. excuses it on the ground
that Mr.. Wilson was much absorbed
in the foreign situation. but he Goa
fesses TO me that while he himself {.
charitable about il. most other people
are not Also. he pointed out that
the feeling hereabouts was pretty Bit
ter against Messrs- Burleson- Kitchen
and Democratic leaders IN congress
An editor who has been strong 90
his support OF Mr.. Wilson IN ureVioui
campaigns and wh6 knows Ohio like
a book. says that people have an idel
that the president has become ou
OF touch with the masses and they
+ feel that his selections for the peace
mission were not the best that Amer
{ lea had
Indeed. rs the peace conference
fails to show results, there is a
rturn 10 the discussion OF the per-
sonnel. and ngnin and nEnin 7 am
told that II the president had ST.
lecfed iir. TAFT 90 40 60 Europe
his task would have been much
caEiers that he would now find n
D.
lean peace mission in whatever
program IL sees fit to recommend.
There IS the deep rooted feeling
for example. that Mr. Wilson domi-
mates the American mission In Paris
that there is no check on his views
E or suggestions. and that he may pos.
/ sibly be in error in his methods In
I other words. that personal incompati.
I bilitT may have something TO do viii
/ the friction in Paris
To be sure, this last suggestion Is
, one usually advanced by Republican,
but I have heard many Democrats say
Mr. Wilson blundered. perhaps. "a
F tally when he failed 10 select ethel
1Ir Root or Mr.. Taft. and I'm THU
+ section they particularly talk OF thi
latter.
Much Praise for Taft.
Why. they felt that Mr.. Taft had
I been nonparttsan throughout the war
Z had worked indefatigably on the wal
I labor board. and had earned. so @
I speak q place on the American peace
Z mission. and when AR Taft. instead
+ Of being resentful because he WASH
z chosen turned around and actually
Z ChampiOned Ar Wilson's proposal fol
[ a league OF nations. and did this iI
I face OF bitter opposition in the sen
I ate, there arose volume OF praise for
: the breadth OF mind and sportsman
I ship Of the former president which
I makes Democrats openly say that the1
think he may be the next nominee
T OF the Republican party and that h'
t would be a hard man 20 beat Nos
J. Of the newspapers IN Ohio are Demo
? cratic or independent There are &
I few Of the old line Republican papers
When YOU find the Democratic ant
Z Independent journals rather lukewaru
{ in their support of the president and
P vehement in their denunciation o
what they say is the worst posta
/ service they ever had. severe in theii
criticism OF the railroads and the in
T creases in telephone and telegra %
rates. you can make up your mine
that so far as things Democratic arr
concerned. there IS something verl
wrong in this stronghold Of progres!
and liberalism. and judging by tn
talk Of politicians one gets the feeling
s that 1920 is only a few months away
too few months at that. 70 suit thos
F who have grievances and too near q
suit the optimistic Democrats VIII
I hope and believe that time. the grea
E solvent, may affect a turn IN tn
Z tide Of political passion--Copyrigh
1919 hw New York Evening Post. Inc