The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1921-08-26
NEW ENGLAND BUSINESS
Holding Its Own, But Cannot Ignore
Problems.

It is reasslringly pointed out in a
Boston chamber of commerce report
that the figures of relative industrial
progress for the past decade, evidently
based chiefly on census findings, indi-
cate that New England has not lost
her traditional skill and virility. Even
| with inclusion in the statistics of man
ufacturers of such new and boom states
as those in the northwest, we virtually
held our own with the rest of the land
in factory growth between 1909 and
1919
During the past decade New Eng
land gained quite as much in popula-
tion as the rest of the country and
in number of factory workers and of
horsepower far exceeded her popula-
ton growth. Massachusetts, which is
still sixth in population among As
state as against seventh among u
a century ago, has passed Philadelphia
into third place in newspaper circula-
ton. Ii holds the same rank in book
circulation. Save for Washington, with
its government network, Boston has
more telephones per 100 of population
than any other eastern city. The Bay
state in 1919 produced 3l.7 per cent of
the country's cotton goods output.
against 2SS per cent in 1914.
We are, indeed, still diligent and in
telligent But such figures as these
should leave us very far from being
complaisant There are other data
and other dates-that may well con-
Germ us.
The year, 1919, as a milepost is it.
self significant. 1t marked the crest
of our industrial activity, in both vol
ume and value Southern New Eng
land was them still thronged by re-
erlIits drawn IN when this section was
vital part of the country's war ar
sensl. The peak point in textiles and
leather products, two of our leading
industries, came near the very end of
that year. Since then there has been a
reversal of form in these and some 9th
er lines that almost spelled trade trag-
edy.
That intense recession-quite rival |
ing the mot clamorous distress of the !
farmers-has been more than a purely |
trade phase. IL had a financial aspect |
And with shrinkage in tannery and !
mill values went a drastic capital and /
interest loss on other items of New |
England investment outside its own |
borders. Sugar is the spectacular ex-
ample.
Then there is the issue of transpor-
tation by land and by sea-as issue
vital to all the country, but psrtie-
nlarly so to New England The plight /
Of our railroads and trolleys has been
even more acute than that in other
sections.
More or less cooped by nature in a
corner of the country, and dependent
largely upon transportation for re-
,eipt of raw materials and for dis
patch of finished products. New Eng
and cannot lightly endure Fictitious
1t cannot lightly re-
gard new burdens on its fuels-coal or
,il-from outside. The hide fax men
Ice in Washington is a sample of some
If the pin pricks of the present. And
Vew England needs cooperative ac-
ion among its state units as sought
n governors conferences and other
and also among its bust
less elements, both to guard its inter
SITS and develop its opportunities.
Its chambers of commerce, for ex-
nipple, have plenty Of matters of con
'ern IN such items as the dragging
question Of an equitable division Of
through rates with trunk lines and in
hat perennial question-made now
more acute by the general slump in
a proper employment of
,ur port facilities and a right handling
II the rate issues affecting that mat
er.-Boston News Bureau