The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-09-21

York, Pennsylvania and most OF the
other great Industrial states Of the
East and middle West show a falling
OF In building operations. There is
improvement In the housing situation
in southern and Pacific coast indus.
trial centers. with special emphasis
on the erection OF workmen's homes.
|. "ln no section OF the country did,
the investigators find sentiment In fa.
vor of government ownership of the
railroads; and everywhere better
transportation conditions are reported.
Agriculture is generally recognized
as the backbone Of the country, and
the farming situation is excellent.
from no section has an unfavorable
report been received. Our farmers
appear everywhere TO be In too happy
u mood to permit the cynlcsm 1.-The.
farmer Is always grumbing" They
are we'll supplied with funds from
the sale OF this years crop. but they
are wise in that they know that more
favorable marketing conditions can
be created. q
"The recent drop in grain prices is
reported to have had no effect except
in the Rocky mountain states. Farm
ers of Illinois, Indiana. Michigan.
Wisconsin and other central states are
withholdr grain.
"ln the financial field money Is
tight. That may mean several things,
| First, that the people want money,
badly to put into producing activities :
second. that the banks attempt 10 get
whatever the traffic will bear. shear.
Ing close to the skin; third. that there
Is an inadequate supply of money. or,
! fourth. that those who have money
lack confidence. There are otter rea.'
| sons no doubt. and among tls.n that
| the dollar now buys less than hereto
FORE people with money wish to.
charge more for the service than
money gives. No one can accurately,
say which of these causes Is the most
important factor, but probably all CON-
tribute to the present situation.
"The telegraphlc reports from every
section of the country state that the
banks are well loaned up, although
money Is available In the East and
central districts at from 6 to 8
per cent interest. The Southwest,
Rocky mountain and Pacific states re-
port the highest interest rates, aver
aging from 8 to 10 per cent, and
In the mountain district as high as
II per cent.
"There Is great encouragement, how
ever, TO be drawn from the fact that
in only one Of the nine geographical
divisions. the Rocky Mountain, has
there been a decrease In bank depos-
It's during the last six months. While
the general increase includes corpora
ton deposits, individual savings &C.
counts show more marked improve
ment everywhere. This seems to show
clearly that the orgy Of spending and
extravaganza is over
"Dlscountlng Of bills by Industrial
concerns Is universally reported. Ex-
cept In the middle Atlantic, southwest
ern and Pacific coast states, manufac.
turers appear to be carrying large
amounts Of customers paper.
"The country does not like the pres
ent taxation system. The excess prof.
It's tax Is In bad favor everywhere.
Cplnion Is divided, however. as to a
substitute. In the East and central
West sentiment runs strongly for q
sales tax. but elsewhere opinion as to a
substitute Is divided.
1--WE are not yet masters Of the art
Of distribution of product. The fact
that the farmers uniformly report a
desire for some cooperative method
by which their products can be brought
to consumers means that this problem
is of the greatest Importance. But It
Is not for the farmers benefit primari.
ly that such movement must quickly
culmnate In action.
"The consumer feels that somewhere
between the farmer and himself too
much Is taken for service of compar.
alive insignifcance In contrast with
that which the producer himself rem,
ders.
THE farmers apparently are not
alone In desiring cooperative action.
The survey shows opposition to coop
erative movements only In the New
England and Pacific coast districts.
Sentiment Is divided In Ohio, Illinois
and the other north central and west
ern states, but favorable In the middle
Atlantic. the south central and the
southern states.
| POLITICALLY the replies Indicate that
II Is too early TO tell what the outcome
Of the November election will be-,
Three months ago there was strong
er Republican sentiment than there np-
pears to he now. The trend has been.
and Is. Republican. What 1t will be In
November these gentlemen do not
prophesy.
"The large outstanding fact ievel.
oped by the Fidelity and Deposit com.
pany seems TO be that the greatest is
sue In the public mind Is being over,
looked by the campalgners, the high
cost of living. think this conclusion
Will be justified. but the blame should
not be cast upon the producer, and Ger.
talnly the farmer has not received his
share OF the wealth which he creates.
THE cost of living and foreign rels.
tIons seem TO be the main issues. Tax.
alton and Industrial relations also oc.
cupy n space In the general political
thought. Least interest appears to be
shown In the railroad policy Of the
present administration. radical move
ments and prohibition.
1T is clear that the country Is on Q