The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-11-04

The Washington Herald publishes
below telegraphic answers from an
important group of wholesale dry
goods firms from several sections
of the United States in response to
list Of six SPECIFIC questions sent
them.
The responses Indicate a definite
Improvement In business and an ex-
pectation that this improvement will
broaden and become more general.
Stocks and merchandise in hand are
reported to be In q healthy state
and are 20 to so per cent less than
year ago in value and In physical
quantity.
The six questions were:
l. Do you anticipate pronounced
Improvement In business this year7
Q. II not, what kind of business
do you anticipate?
8. When do you expect pronounce
ed improvement?
4. What do you consider the
chief retarding influence?
5. How does the value Of your
merchandise on hand October l
compare in percentage with one
year ago? With two years ago?
6. How does the physical quail
ity of such merchandise compare
with one year ago? With two
years ago7
The answers follow:
Carson. Pirie. Scott q Co.. chica-
go, Ill.
We believe that there is improve
ment in business and that the i'm
provement will broaden and become
more general. Another grain crop
at fair prices to farmers Is neces-
sary to increase the buying power
OF the country. and there are rur-
Their adjustments in related prices
and wages which must come.
The matter of freight rates IL
very important and the present agi-
tation for reductions should not be
pointed to special concessions here
and there on any commodity or 10
any group or groups OF shippers nor
to placate certain sections for po-
litical purposes; but the whole mht-
ter should be dealt with in the most
scientific way. regardless OF favors
to any group, whether agricultural,
industrial, or political.
Pronounced Improvement in gem
eral conditions depends IN a great
measure. on Federal legislation now
pending and the rapIdIty with
which II Is enacted.
Stocks of dry goods in the hands
OF wholesale and retail merchants In
the Central States are in a healthy
condition and an increased demand
from the consumer will follow
through retailer and wholesaler to
the producer.
Smith. McCord, Townsnd etaoinr
Goods Company. Kansas City. Mo.
In comparison with last year our
business in October is better thar
in any previous month. This 1:
| largely due to the hardening in the
cotton market. The pursuits OF our
reople are very largely agricultural
and the production OF oil and min.
erals. These are all depressed, par.
ticularly farm products, and there
will not be a real pronounced re-
turn to activities in business unit,
the farmer receives a better price
for his grain and his cattle-in fact
for everything that he raises.
The value of our merchandise DC.
tober l was about 40 per cent of the
value a year go, but nearly three
times as much as two years ago
In October, 1919. stocks were far
below normal, both in dollars and
| cents and physically.
A comparison of physical quaint
ties Is largely a guess, but in our
| opinion the present stock in yards
and dozens is about so per cent OF
year ago.
John ". FarweII. Chicago, Ill.
For the remainder of this year
we expect great improvement in our
business over last year. when a
pronounced reaction was well under
way. but not so large a volume as
two years ago, when demand was
abnormal. We do not think gen.
eral business will have pro-
nounced improvement this year, but
expect II will be gradual every
month.
The retardIng influences are I'M