Evening star., 1921-04-09
Orders Suggest Urgency;
Likely to Stiffen Prices

special Dispatch . The star.
KANSAS CITY. April s.-whole-
salers In this district continue to re-
port an increase in the number Of
orders, but these are for the most
part amall and call for carly de-
livery. indicating urgency Of demand
This Is = thing that has been .ex-
warned against as likely to cause a
sti6ening In prices
In other words the desire OF re-
tailers 20 make quick turnovers and
thus keep abreast OF the decline In
wholesale prices may have an op-
posite effect from that antieipatad.
When orders from retailers fell of,
wholesalers Also shortened up stocks
This left both unprepared for the re-
sumption Of ouyine by retail trade
age OF finished products with in
creoses In prices, despite the fact
mat the country is glutted with raw
A. svtdsnc. Of tn. increase in re-
tail TRADE, merchants report that the
volume OF sales compares favorabiy
with last year despite lower prices.
Higher FfOn Tsnnsxe Standpoint.
Wholesale Erocers report sales are
higher from . tonnage standpoint
than they were . year ago. although
the money value Of the goods sold
fs less because OF the lower prices
However, the wholesalers dollar also
worse or
Hardware and implement sales con-
tinue to improve slightly as the sea-
son advances. but they are consid-
erably below those of q year ago.
An interesting commentary upon
the building situation 10 afforded by
the fact that more garages are being
built than houses. Automobile deal
ers see IN this q reflection OF the in
crease in sales that followed the re-
cent motor car shows.
BUSINESS NOTES.
It Is becoming more and more evident
that a bitter fight is to be waged before
the ways and means committee Of the
House soon after Congress meets Mon
day for and against the sales tax idea
Merchants and business interests gen.
orally are marshaling their forces for
descent upon Congress in favor OF the
sales tax as a substitute for the excess
profits tax and the higher levles on large
incomes. The farmer. however. is against
the sales tax. He sees in il a deep and
dark scheme of the interests" to saddle
the taxes OF the alton on the poor man
instead Of the rich, and he feels he will
be much harassed. 1t must not be over
looked in this connection that the farm
or Is a very powerful man in Congress.
1t was the farmer who killed daylight
saving over the protests Of the folk who
live in the cities. and the average con-
gressman is very much afraid OF the
rural vote. The farmer influence in the
coming Congress will be especially
strong, and there is slight wonder that
the forces favoring a sales tax have sent
out word for a redoubling Of effort all
along the line
A second big fight before the ways
and means committee will have to 90
with the plan to assess certain duties
on the American sale price rather than
the value abroad of imports. The mil
linery men are the latest t. take up
cudgels against this plan Of American
valuation. They claim the measure. TX
adopted, would lead to uncertainty as
to the possible value of goods import
ed: that the confusion of assessing the
new duties would have q disastrous
effect on trade In general. and that
endless litigation would ensue.
NEW YORK. April "a downward
trend of prices still is to be noted in
the wholesale drug trade. with compe-
tition in crude drugs particularly keen.
Surplus stocks in the heavy chemical
lines are being relieved. and this Is
causing a more optimistic feeling. In
the fine chemicals prices have fallen
somewhat. fair business Is reported
by the producers of coal-tar interme-
dates. and there is a slightly better
demand for the leather colors. Fur
dyers had quite a season. and are In
creasing their stocks.