The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-12-06

WON'T CONTINUE
Declining Market VIII Not
Last Long.
When Consumers Quit Buying
Retailer Hedges.
THE MILLS STOP OPERATIONS
Goods VIII Be Scarce Next
Spring Is Claim. ,
Market VIII Be Stabilized Soon,
Says Merchant.
THE MILLS STOP OPERATIONS

The declining market now, with the
prices of practically every commodity
on the Idle, is not going to continue
When the consumers stop their Luy-
ing-aud that is the thing which has
brought about the market slump-the
retailer begins to hedge. and ceases
his own heavy ordering for months IN
advance He buys here, there and
everywhere. just enough to keep him
going until ne sees what the market
is going to do. The jobbers and whole
salers follow suit. and refrain from
ordering from the manufacturers, until
they know where, when, and now
much.
For this reason, the average textile
mill in the east has for the past TWO
or three months, been running at just
enough capacity to keep their organ
ization together. The manufacturer,
being not more bereft of business sense
than the remaining members OF the
chain. is not going to make up lot
OF goods which he doesn't know that
he can sell. Rather. his factory will
run on half-time or less. just keeping
ahead of his daily orders
Even If the manufacturer, imbued
with the gambling spirit, We're to bank
heavily on his future chances ana de-
eide to make and store his regular out
put, the money would not be available
under the present financial conditions.
and only the man who has amassed a
tremendous fortune, could afford to
carry thru the mechanical procedure
necessary.
Business Is Dull.
The same thing. in a more limited
degree, is taking place in the market
of groceries and provisions Business
is admittedly dull in those lines
inc fnaT n
lie wants goods. they are going to find
that goods are scarce And naturally
there will be a reaction of price The
law Of supply and demand, if nothing
else. would take care of that
Market To BE stabilized.
It think that the market will be
stabilized and the reaction will set IN
along in January. when the demand
for spring stuff becomes active" said
A p McKOwn. manager of the PeHe-
tiers store. today The present trend
and condition, under which goods are
actually being sold at less than cost
canno- continue, in the very nature OF
Things. When the end of the stocks
on hand is reached. the price must &c
up. Ard the matter OF spring buying
is going to bring that condition. Like
every other retailer, we have been
buying what we had to have, and not
more We have been securing the
market. looking for lots mere ana
there which jobbers and wholesalers
have been anxious to get 'out from
under just the same as the retailer
Slack Buying Reacts
1t is not only in the textile indus
try that slack buying now is going to
react and result in a higher price
later on, according to growers of To-
peka. Altha groceries, being subject
TO more steady demand. and the Wis
ihle supply of foodstuffs being more
easy to determine, have not suffered
the slimp and irregularity which has
been marked in the clothing and dry
goods trade.
The attitude of tire public psy-
Geological factor. has been largely re-
sponsible for the drop in canned goods
and in groceries, and o. E. Cutler, OF
the Poehler Mercantile company,
looks for a reaction in that field this
winter.
1t is no good telling the public that
they are making a mistake by not bay
ing on declining market" says
Cutler. They will just say that it is
another dodge to get the people to buy
Better tell them that the declining
market is bound to result in a sudden
bump and a rise later
Factors i'm Groceries.
Some interesting factors il regard tt
the grocery and canned goods situa-
ton were brought out in a discussion
by W. c. Hindman, who believes thai
there is enough home" brew" being
manufactured in the United States tC
have distinct affect on several items
such as aprieOts, raisins and jelly. AL