The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-01-01
Bradstreets Review of the Business Year, With Forecast

ment places is at $4,000. 900. tho area
planted IL that cereal this year Is ca,
tImated At 40.605,000 acres. loss OF
only IS per cent from year ago an'
OF 20 per cent from tho war acreage
record of 1915. while the condition Is
given AS s7.9. compared with So u
year ago.
Looking Forward.
Divergent views arc held at 10 tho
c!!ned to take the cheerful side point
admittedly cloudcd outlook. Those IN
to the absence thus far OF acute nnat'
clal.. especially banking, troubles, inc
conceded easing Of tho strain on credit
from tho peak point OF d!m-autumn, tn
evidences Of price Tevisi0ns n;tNihH
brought nearer the point where C"ndi
lions. those affecting money Included
relatively speaking, may be expected I,
be stabilized, the great basic wealth oI
tho country really untouched ny thr
events Of tho year. and tho demon
Stratei ability Of the American 10 adapi
himself 10 and master difficulties. Thr
other less favorable views advanced
havo 20 do with the spread OF uurm'
ployment the slowing down OF indus,
tries. tho injection Of short tim" ana
wage reductions into the situation. TINS
tending to hamper buying ability Amohr
large sections OF tn" country. and the
assorted Gripping OF the farming inter
rsts. hcraldcd Rs meaning reduced pur-
chasing power among producers ana ~
threatening the very basis OF trace ana
industry. the production ~ staple zoe"
and other crcpS. only tho EerE $on-
sulnc apparently look Ccr l. swift r"ac-
tion from what economists d"sCTlhc rs
tho secondary phases ~ crises ana DC
pressIons, the STOW. Va'Uiui ard aIlo'
sether uuna In tab" 1r"C"->"S al reCoN,
erv from industrial Reorganization an!
INK 10 max, any hard aud fast pradl"'
lions. indeed with every disposition to
AcrD cut of tho raI.Es Nt the prophets
who arc prorrrhialiy' lacking IN bono;
n their own ,UuHtry--!t may % We"
- set down 4 few facts which ht""
4 bearing upon tbs working out Of either
- these forecasts.
In the flrst place. IL apparently nee. D..
20 ha again brought 70 the attention ~
Tho falnt-hfarted thar this country has
SO far come through lightly rom t':
troubles which have besat the worm
as the result Of tha ovcrweening ami
ton OF tho German militarists; that orr
present trade and Industrial trcGosHS'
duo In part To our own eStraFag"n''''
are the natural results OF the eht'.'-
dent causes, aud that II Is best mt
the reckoning came as early rs u a."
In other words, our condition might
hayo been a whole lot w"rSe--it - cor
,aiuly a great deal better than Is tde
lot OF our European friends ana Rhl""
The industrial worker may 70 lIie IN
az his pay (2S per cent. rerhars'l Il"
hacn cut, hut ne had Ru opportunity u
prep7r" for ths inevitable reaction
while the Turner. mourning the IA; re-,
turns OF 1918, should not torKet th"
his money and crop returns are better
than In 1914 1915 or 1916. which were
not cstcsmod bad years at the time
For the great mass OF people WHO h'''
NOT directly gain by eNtravaEAnt "aE'"
or prices. the return TO sane" p:i1c icy
thr.s OF the groups cited hay" 49,
knowledge that. rs result or r'"''
iusrn,nnts n dollar goes ana VIII x,
further than Il d'd In recent days "I
so-calIed boundless prosperity. TIC
fact Is that. for \ while at least bust
ness viii need tho present quiet PERIOD
10 recSst It's Ideas. form new plans nm,
nrspare to put IN operation new hta
better conceptions. AS pat By one ""-
server. the old figures arc blurred a"t
new. ones must be prepared.
II IL hardly 70 be Hoped that w
present reimbursement VIII not 20 lar
enough II Tst!re a large NUMBER OF
thoss who in the past year ana III nn-
preCedanted numbers sought the pr"ht ;
Of a business NE with nodicuh! OF
business equipment and deficiency OF
ability 70 succeed. 1t might be well II
We we're nhls to forget some OF the
events OF our recent "silk-shlrt era OF
sxtruyagance ware Il not FOR inc res
sons conveyed that IN 'HH 'oh6 ~"
ity, educat ton and experience arc also
entltied to their reward. Perhaps no
better service could be- done tho Amer
lean business man. wage. Garner or TAR
rner than 10 hold UP To his eyes the Ch-
annie OF battletorn France, which IN
is patient rebuilding OF It's shattered
fortunes this year, shows a gain In ~
rYpc-, trade comparing favorably with
ali but the very largest gains In our
ownown. With the experience Of some
past years OF stress In mind. one Is In.
cl!ned 10 look asfance at EFFORTS OF
"medic!ne men" of both parties to oner
patent nustrums TO the people In the
belisS that acts OF Congress Will arrest:
delay or mitigate tho working out or
the great natural forces now In opera
tion Tho patients fsver seems 10 have
broken. and there remains now tho pro
cess OF building up his strength. for
which time and care arc the main re-
Guis.tes.
Prrrs1URaH LIVE STOCK.