The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1920-08-05
THE NATIONAL CAPITOL
(By j. E. Jones)

(By j. E. Jones)
Breaking News to Cox and Harding
The Presidential candidates and their
SsVices" have been receiving political
delegations bearing important tidings
Of the Chicago and San Francisco con-
ventions. And now that the candl-
dates have been notified it seems
probable that everybody has been told
whose names will be on the ballots IN
the frosty and melancholy days OF
November. But it does not seem at
all likely that either business or in
dustry is apt to become excited over
the Presidential campaign. In this
respect there have been good many
comments to the. effect that neither
Harding nor Cox are regarded as fire.
brands. The more correct explana-
ton lies in the fact that in recent
years, and particularly during the
war, that it has been determined by
the American people that the business
of government must be confined to the
handling of the affairs of government.
In other words the day has passed
when anyone expects new President
or new Congress to start out upon a
program to uproot the established
policies under which business and
commerce have been built /. The
ghosts of government ownership, the
Plumb plan, naturalization Of indus
tries and the like, have been success
fully put to sleep in the United States,
and in place of these restless posi-
bilities there has been built sub
stantial foundation for our transpor-
-tation system, and for our financial
system, as represented by the Federal
Reserve Banks. 1t therefore appears
that the present outlook on lie prom
ises the customary dullness of mid
summer enliyened by vacation periods
for the rich and poor; cfter which a
revival in business and the security
markets are looked for. While the
frost is on the pumpkin and the fod
der is in the shock the campaign
orators and political managers will
enliven the country with brisk cam
paign. Amid one final resounding
shout the news will sweep the land
telling who is the victor. No matter
what is the result it is not likely to
add one business failure or to upset
any industrial or financial enterprise
in the country. There is no danger
that the bottom will fall out of the old
II. S. A.
Industry Lays
Fresh news from the coal mines
tells of the troubles of the operators,
and it seems more than likely that
labor troubles will add to the proba-
bility of coal shortage the coming
winter. And what is true with re-
gard to coal also appears to apply to
most of the industrial plants of the
country which are oversold, and
which are vainly trying to speed up |
production.
The farmers have shown no dis |
position to curtail their produce, ex-
eept for the one reason of insufficient
help to care for what the soil will |
yield in abundance. OF course there
is the dreaded apprehension of a lack
IN transportation facilities; and the
ear shortage has had a tendency to |
make farmers as well as manufac- |
turers conservative. But while every
where there has been a tendency for
manufacturers and farmers to slew
down, the striking reason has been :
that there has not been enough labor
to carry ca the ordinary game of life.
AT the same time, in the cities as
well as in the towns and country
there has beer house shortage. Ini
New York it is not uncommon for a
single Office room to rent for as high
IS a thousand dollars a year. In
Washington Offices are double what
condition holds good in most of the
large cities. Apparently there are
not enough people to man the indus
tries, to take care of farm production,
and to build new houses and building
structures within the Nation. The
United States census now being
taken, shows that the population is
increasing, but it does not indicate
what has become of the laboring peo-
pie, who evidently are becoming
scarcer and scarcer as the years roll
By. II America could analyse her