The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-10-09
sTEADYPAYROLL
'OF GOVERNMENT
|. !. FOSTERS TRADE
City Not Likely to Be Affected
= by Arrested Development
Of other Sections.
MERCHANTS GIVE VIEWS
A.-r.ys. -
Business Reported on Par With
n prosperous Era Proceeding
- World War.
NJ DAN e. O'CONNELL.

- World War.
IN u ~ DAN e. O'CONNELL.
Washington, no matter how the res,
Gcf the country fares, will have q pros.
Dperous winter. This is the opinion of
business men who have for many years
been In the foremost ranks of the city's
trade.
The outlying feature Of their pre-
dtctions. is that Washington enjoys a
position not occupied by any other city
ana Is not subject to the financial or
Industrial changes that sweep other
parts OF the country. In 1898, this
was true, and has been in every Other
period of arrested industrial progress.
@Unole Sam IL a stable business man,
they say. and his payroll Is sure on
the fifteenth and thirtieth of every
month. Much of the other industry
Of the city is dependent to q measure
on government employees, and when
they do not suffer poverty the business
ofathe city cannot suffer.
pes4sA Conference To Aid Business.
IL there had been any intimation Of
q depression this winter, the coming of
the big conference on limitation Of
armaments would have dispersed It,,
they say. With this big item to help
ont during the winter when the worst
of the depression will strike the TEST
Of the country, Washington will be IN
better condition than most cities, to
go ahead next spring when the rest
OF the country energies from whatever
depression may strike II and starts
out almost anew to reach the heights
which balanced business shortly be.
fore the war.
Even now" one business man
said washington business men are
making as much money as they were
before the war. but some Of them are
complaining that they are not max.
ing as much as they did during the
war. They must not expect to do
this, because that was an abnormal
condition, which passed with the
war"
Banks Reflect Prosperity.
One Of the best indications that the
business outlook IL good and the pres
ent condition above normal Is seen in
the banks Of the city. One bank Of
fetal said big business men who for
the last year have been renewing
their notes when they became due
are now curtailing them when they
become due, II not paying them alto
gether. This IL an unfailing baron.
eter Of business. he said, because in
dull times Il 10 q hard matter to get
borrowers Of banks to pay up their
notes. the borrowers preferring to
keep what ready cash they have on
hand to meet emergencies while they
expect the banks to carry their loans
until things brighten.
One big department store man.
aver said his gross sales during
August were In excess Of those Of
the same month last year, and that
he expected business this coming
winter to pass the mark set last win
ter. ,ta
The owner Of q big furniture store
said that from indications in his
places there was no slump coming
because the people were buying as
usuaL There was no large orders,
he said. but the volume Of small
business was In excess Of that done
during the war.
Prospects for Winter Bright.
The general feeling among bust
mesa men was that business was
picl<ing UP and that the prospects
forTthe winter and next spring were
verEt bright.
One business man who Is looked
upon by the other merchants Of Wash
1nBDn 10 III OTbCle, Clteu tne TeCent
report Of the Federal Reserve Board.
which showed that Washington In
IN a. better financial condition than
an yother city, with the exception
Of Dos Angeles. Los Angeles, he
ssid,E 10 one Of the magic cities Of
the country and nothing could affect
II except q general smash-up Of the
motion picture industry or a national
catastrophe.
when one business man tells you
business 10 bad. you can find q dozen
business men In the same locality
who will tell you business is good"
one prominent merchant said yes
terday.
Att In greatly q question Of mind, I
have, found out. About a year ago ]
believed business was bad and sought
TO convince myself by figures that It
was.
"when I went to figuring I found
out that II was not az bad as thought
II was. and began to think and work
asSif bushes was better than ever ne
fore in my career. The result was
that In few months found out that
the bull con- which I thought I WAS
putting out was a reality, and that
I business was actually as good ~
ssvss, trying to make myself believe 1t
was"