The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1921-03-02
booming with prosperity.

booming with prosperity. Tourist
notes, are crowded to overflowing,
mercantile establishments arc dispoS-
lng, their stocks ut no loss practically,
fruits and foodstuffs generally are in
great demand. 1t will likely be the
same way at our great Summer re-
sorts wit, the approach of the COM
ing season.
In our rural sections, in our farm
ing districts, as well as in our cities
the wave of depression is generally
{ felt. The wave has come, is still with
us and the matter of its durability IS
! what concerns us most at this particu-
lar moment. The answer to this no
one can state with any degree of GER
| tainty. Eight months ago, no one
would have bcklieved that commodit-
les could have reached such low levels
in that length of time. 1t would have
seemed to be impossible. There were
, few farmers in the cotton belt that
thought they would have to face a
market with their produce, as low as
, it now is. This was regarded as an
impossiblity as they were practically
assured that cotton would never de-
scend in value below the cost of pro-
dutcion. However these things have
come to pass and naturally they are
heavy losers on all sides.
Depression losses are not confined
| to producers only. Many merchants
throughout the nation are loaded to
! The 6rlm with war-price goods and are
facing the same proposition the South
ern farmer faces. Many had the fore
sight to cut stocks in the past fall
while others followed the markets
down and disposed of their wares to
| the best advantage while others con-
tlnued to hold their stocks in an effort
TO sustain no losses, hoping and look
ing every day for hold up in the
breaking markets. They are the
heaviest losers. Many merchants took
their losses early and have filled their
shelves with new goods bought at the
lowest levels, hence they command the
| trade.
Labor over the country generally
feels the tightening effect Of the de-
preston as in many places salaries
are cut, plants are virtually closed ON
account of lack of business and thou
sands are unemployed. Corporations
are beginning to feel the general wave
ANA are likewise doing only small
business in an effort to pass through
without q failure. Hence there is no
place available at the present time for
the unemployed to find work even to
meet living expenses.
| have merely mentioned the cases
above in an effort to show where the
wave of depression has touched every
form of business, the question arises
again, when shall such conditions
come to an end?
In answer to the above many pan
crS, periodicals, manufacturing Jour
pals state that already business in
America is getting on its stride again.
ihat 1T is setting 4 steady pace that
1t can keep up and the best is vet to
come. The latter months have shown
Il tendency to Il normal basis much be-
low the standard of the last few Years
Business establishments every whcr,
are cutting overhead cost reducing
them to the minimum, thereby con
serving strength and building up vital
powers on better and broader basis.
Business in general is receiving bet
ter attention than in former months.
MerchantS are attracting buyers by
making buying attractive and the
wheels of industry and traflcc are
SStlli moving steadily onward. Wrong
business practice is practically eli.
..'',>''N' anu 'ollIlNcltp OF the public
IS hcElnnhg to be restored. These
are moves towards amend of dcprcs-
SION. We cannot rightly lay the
blame Of the depression to any one
commodity, cotton for instance, as
practically ali have reached lower
levels, lard, meat, sugar, and prac-
tlcally all grain exchanges have seen
lower Levels. There are Just as many
losses through tn" decline in prices Of
these articles as there arc with cot
ton. We happen to notice cotton par
tlcularly in this section as that is our
money crop. However in lower Mis-
Slsslppi, the rice growers are facing
the same problem without any soIu
ton However having passed through
(D this period without parallel. no
one knows what normal is. Whatever
one mans opinion may be, regarding
the length Of time it will take to get |
all business back on a normal basis, |
ana there are great many expressed |
lally, the firm rendering the most ser
vice during this period will secure the
pest results when rcadjustmcnt and |
lquIdating becomes history.