Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1919-12-13
GTsnla9'S9 ETenIns Yesterday 6ysLy 1882
Christmas Buying.

Wilmington merchant. report the most
active holiday trade that they have ever
known. even IN excess of what they have
ever dreamed Of. From the minute that
the Christmas goods were on 81 the
crowds Of shoppers have taxed resources
of the loca stores and gone far beyond the
limits Of the extra holiday clerical ser
vice The merchants report a'so, that
the purchases this season are by long odds
far IN excess Of those Of previous years,
both IN quantity and the value Of the
goods Artic cs that in the past would
probably long have remained in stock by
reason OF the cost arc bought UP IN prefer
encc for the most part to the cheaper
goods. The dIsparagencnt contrasted
with the other Christmas seasons is in
dicatcd bv one dealer who says that per
sons Who IN other DAYS hcsltated about
investing s. in a gift spend $50 or SD
now without the east thought or hcsita-
non for an arttcc that appeals to the
fancy
4 dealer who has devoted Almost All Of
his efforts - Christmas trade reports
The sac of almost the entire stock that
h. had prepared to meet the wants Of
hlS patrons st t. : season and says his
supply will be exhausted IN another week,
and he fears he will be unable to obtain
more goods after his present stock IS sold
HI declares 50 that he could have sold
three times the amount Of expensive art
IL L. - <h1h hClY ]ox- nd
believes the Christmas business here Is
more than double the amount the local
rets ers had anticipated even though al
Of them had predicted record Chnst-
mas demand and had prepared to take
advantage Of the situation Tins pros
uerous condition seems to extend e al
tho trades, and III having goods to sell
that have any holiday flavor find them
snapped NJ quickly. irrespective of cost
Merchants in other cltcs report like
measures Of prosperity and Christmas
activity. and there IS no doubt that never !
10 the history Of the world mas there been
50 much money in the hands OF our people !
IS there IS al TINS tune.
The country Is rch beyond oomputa- |
tlon In every section the banks are |
bulging with money and the man who /
earns his bread By da ~ labor is richer
TODAY than were the men Of affluenc, OF /
half a century ago.
The American people doubtless are |
more extravagant than they have ever /
been IN the past and today undoubtedly |
are Spending more money than any other |
peoples We hear Of short crops from the /
farmer. the high rents demanded By land |
lords, the high cost Of living IS 1t IS extend /
I'd to every artic e Of daily use, even TO /
the pnce OF matches, but withal, the people |
who work and those who employ labor or |
i've on their Investments spend without |
stint or thought Of the tomorrow for the !
iuxurres Of life far beyond anything they |
have ever LAID out in the past
Even though America IS the most I
prosperous nation Of the world today. she I
presents the anomaly Of being the centre /
Of seethlnf unrest, and q dissatisfaction I
which If manifest on all sides This I
condition NAV be ascribed 20 the tremen- +
dous lust for the possession Of money. and {
for ease and luxurIes This race for wealth (
and what money brings has probably I
never before been so strongly % evidence
and never before hasthe danger from love
of money been so threatening. On all
sides there are demands off the profteer
the gouger and hoarder Of foods that
be may profit al the expense of the people
without returning any equivalent for his
gains.
Possibly In no other community has
the protteer became more defiant and
securely entrenched; 50 secure, IN fact,
that be laughs at the law to check his
schemes
While we rejoice in our almost boundless
prosperity il is well not TO forget that
there are other things even worth while,
and that the pursuit Of the dollar is not
the sole nor highest aim Of mankind.
And, too, while we are buying gifts IN
quantities and at prices to indicate
purse almost beyond exhaustion, it would
be well TO remember that there are scores
Of people 10 the community who are less
well supplied with worldly goods, and if
they are not assisted at this time they Will
have cherries, gftless Christmas, in
deed. These unfortunates are numerically
fewer than they were up to two or three
years ago, and they are less In evidence,
bat all the same they are here, and it is
up TO those whose means are ample TO
see that Christmas cheer goes out TO
our people. There are various societies
winch are working with the aim Of aiding
all who need aid, and through these
organizations the deserving may be reach
I'd WITH the holiday spirit Of gT~ing