Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-04-04
BUSINESS WORLD STILL FEELING
ITS WAY, But With INCREASED
CONFIDENCE, HOUSTON ASSERTS
Former Secretary of Treasury Says the
Country Is Better OFF Today Than 1t Was
Three Months Ago; Cost of Living Has Di-
minished; Building Operations Increase.
(BY THE ASSOCIATED PREss.l

Baltimore, Md, April 3.--David
+. Houston, former secretary of the
treasury, in Analysing country
wide survey of industrial, financial,
agricultural and other economic
conditions, declares that THE big
national question is taxation with
peace settlement and International
trade next"
The survey, made in all of the
geographical divisions of the Unit
ed states by field agents of the
Fidelity and Deposit company of
this city, consisted of answers to
thirty-six questions by farmers,
bankers, manufacturers and public
officials. An interesting feature
of the statistics is that in every
section except New England and
the Rocky mountain states build
ing operations showed marked
increase. General transportation
conditions in every state were re-
ported good and raw materials
plentiful Savings accounts, the
survey showed, increased in nine
teen states.
Increase in Crime.
Police officials of twenty-seVen
state said there have been no.
ticeable increase in crime over
last september, but a decrease was
reported in Massachusetts, Maine,
New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode
Island, Connecticut, New York,
New Jersey, pennsylvania, Della
ware, Maryland, District of Column
bia, Virginia, West Virginia, North
Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia,
Florida, Kentucky Alabama and
Mississippi.
In every state the consensus of
opinion was that the farmers have
not disposed of all their last sea-
sons crops. Low prices and short
. age of money and labor are said
to have caused a reduction in acre
age in all states except Illinois,
, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska
and the Pacific coast states. The
crop outlook for 1921, however, in
every case was reported fair or
good
Business Is Cautious.
"The survey indicates that the
business, world is still feeling its
way, but with increasing conf
dence and with the conviction that
the worst has passed" said Secre-
tary Houston. THE country has
successfully borne the strain
caused by a most notable drop in
prices, particularly of vast vol
ume of raw materials, and has
weathered trying period of liqui-
dation.
1.-THE demand for finished prod
ucts has not developed to the point
where our factories feel justified
in taking the requisite quantity Of
our surplus raw materials to fur
nish the necessary relief to their
producers; but there are some in
dications of a change in this di-
rection."
This survey does point to GER
ainifavorable domestic conditions.
TIE cost of living has appreciably
diminished. Building operations
!, In number of districts tend to
increase. There have recently
been no strikes of consequence.
Greater productivity of labor per
man is reported from all districts.
Raw materials are plentiful, and
physical transportation conditions
are good. There have been no
business failures of moment. The
crop outlook is satisfactory; and
the banking situation has. i'm
proved.
Buying Is Restricted.
"The country is better off today
than it was three months ago, and
manufacturers in growing num-
bers are planning definite produc-