The Mt. Sterling advocate., 1922-01-19
Business in 4th
District Better

ing the past few months, with the
murkiness slowly but surely dlsap-
pearing," says the Monthly Business
Review of Cleveland, Ohio, covering
business and Industrial conditions
in the Fourth federal reserve dis
trict, of which Mt. Sterling is part,
"there are, however, the inevitable
uncertainties still cropping out ut
unexpected times and places. The
year 1922 is being entered with the
decks cleared for action. Even
though further adjustments must be
completed, conditions today are in
happy contrast to those that faced
us year ago"
In this connection the Review sug-
| gests that "a vital need at present
is to aid business in every possible
way. We are faced by a peculiar
l-situation just now. With the excep-
ton of the holiday trade and a few
other lines Of industry, and this is
naturally the dull period of the
year, and many people have made
up their minds that.nothing is TO be
expected until later. This is a poor
way to get anywhere and we believe
that the thing business needs now is
intelligent and constructive push
aheadedness."
No important change, says the
Review, has occurred in the bank
ing situation during the past month.
For the month ending November Is,
there was a slight decrease in the
volume Of loans to city banks, but
durin~ the first part of December, an
upward tendency was in evidence. 4.
The automobile business is going
| through seasonal period Of slow
sales, according to the Review. Peo-
pie at this time of the year usually
wait for the shows to see any new
models that are brought out and to
find out if prices are going to be
further reduced. When the bottom
in price cutting is reached, very
substantial replacement business is
expected as many people have been
using their old cars in anticipation
of lower prices and better trades in
the spring.
Retail trade at present is very
dull and the result is that motor car
companies are finding it necessary
to curtail their schedule of deliver
les. Retail dealers are pretty well
loaded up with secondhand cars
and there is little demand in this di-
rection.
Anent the outlook for the tobac-
co industry the Review says: "The
Burley Tobacco Growers Co-opera-
tive Association has now been in
corporated and final organization
plans are being made. Practically
all the loose leaf warehousemen de-
cided to keep their houses closed
until the organization has its plans
completed There were a few ex
ceptions however, and in the sales
that were started, fairly good prices
are being reported"
The production Of soft coal is not
| up to the average and retailers are
ordering conservatively. Relative to
the coal trade the Review has this to
say:
'Under normal conditions the
winter season causes an increase in
the production of soft coal. The
heavy demand caused by the pro-
posed railroad strike resulted in the
production curve swinging upward.
Since that time there has been
steady decline and near the middle
of the month production had drop
ped back to about the level of last
April, normally the lowest month of
the year. The lake shipping season
has practically ended and this is al
so responsible for the decreased
output. Retail dealers report that
consumers are buying only enough
coal to tide them over from week to
week, with the expectation that there
will be reduction in freight rates
and in the price Of coal"
Retail merchants who handle tex
tile goods are slow in placing ad-
vance orders for spring goods, says
the Review. Commenting on the
textile industry, il says:
"The condition Of the textile in
dustry at present is less favorable
than it was few months ago. Var
ious factors have been responsible
for the slowup. Buyers are looking
for lower prices and the textile man
ufacturers feel that with the ad-
-o-.o - g.. OK A. En x.a. aank IN