The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-12-06

This year the Bridgeport Trust Company is to mail out checks amounting to a quarter of a million dollars. This is the largest sum to be sent out by any of the banks. The American Bank & Trust Company, on the East Side, is second with a dotal of s150, ,ooO. The West Side Bank & Trust Company which has it's third Christmas Club this year. is to pay out $75,000. which is an ad- vance of s15,oOO over last year.
 The North End Bank & Trust Com pany is paying out it's first Christmas Club checks this year to the amount of $5O,oOO, and the Newfield Bank & Trust Company has its first Christ mas Club pay day to the sum of ESQ., coo.
 Joseph H. Barker, manager of The Surprise store on Main street, when asked about business, said:
 Why, I thinN business is pretty good. We have had good business for the last three weeks; in fact, bet ter than last year. It looks now as though December would be a good month with us. I see no reason TOT business men, to be pessimistic. It al depends in a great measure on the
 
 have got to go after business now. II is necessary to put out more spe- eials and crowd harder for the trade, but if merchants will do that, and mark their goods down as low as they can, there is no reason why there should not be good business. In the last few years practically everyone fn Bridgeport has proSpered and has are but few families in town but what can buy what they need if they care to. Of course, we will not see the reckless spending of a few years ago, but if people are offered things which they need at a price they will tuy."
 ''I think in most cases the mer- chants themselves are to blame for periods of depression in business. If, instead of talking about hard times, they would just work harder and talk optimism, most of the depression would disappear. I have been in Bridgeport IS years and I have notic- ed that there seems to be a little group of business men here that as soon as things slow up a little just seem to throw up the sponge and give up. If, instead of that, they would just preach little optimism and pitch in a little harder, and if the papers would preach optimism, we would not have any bad times."
 The reply of John Keane of the ftrm of John Keane and Company to the Times man was: Business is not as good as it has been some time Of course but we are doing a fair amount; when many people are out Of work and the circulation of money iS restricted on that account there is never the amount of business done that there is when everyone is work ing. We have just passed through a period when $2O bills were not paid much attention to. We are now going fl sfhrn,rcrI a nartO6 when S1 hills are beginning to command respect. In the clothing trade, dealers have been iobiged to cut their prices. in some cases considerable, so that we are selling today for practically next years prices. As for the future it is hard to say. There are few men who can look ahead and tell definitely what conditions will be. l do not feel that am one of that few"
 Edward l.. Foster, treasurer of the lFoster-B -Besse Co.,, said:
 Conditions are sound. There is plenty of business to be had by the merchant. who is ready to sacrifice his profits for the time being, and get down to bed rock costs. That is the theory of this firm and the policy which we are working on.'
 we believe that if you give the public the benefit of low prices when it needs them that it will respond with trade. On that basis we are expecting the greatest Christmas trade in the 43 years of our business ca reer."
 William P. Eindle, the druggist when asked about business said he could see mo indication of bad busi- ness. Our business has not fallen Faon as yet and during the last week there have been as many people as usual around looking We expect to do good Christmas business People have got in the habit of buy ing and giving at Christmas time and T. am sure they will this year."