The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-03-11
BY j. G., ROYLF


Consolidated Press Correspondent.
New York, March 11.-Business
is better in the United States and
for the first time the people of the
United States as a whole know it
is better. The improvement has
been going on right along, but the
work of the yeast of better
times was going on under the sur
face. Now the general public is
seeing the results with its own eyes
and is far more ready to believe
what it can see and feel than what
was intangible.
1t is the Easter trade of the re-
taller which has brought it be-
fore their eyes. Everybody deals
with the retailer, while few are
permitted to glimpse the situation
of the producer and manufa cturer
and wholesaler at first hand. Re
tail trade is on the increase, as
business dispatches received with
in the last "a hours show con-
clusively.
Wearing apparel. both for wo-
men and men, is in demand and
purchasers have the money to pay
for it. Stores are crowded and
goods are moving freely and swift
ly off the shelves. That demand
has run through the circuit of dis
tribution and production with the
speed of an electric current. Re
tailers are clamoring at the whole
salers and jobbers for quick ship
ments of orders. Wholesalers are
passing the business back to man
ufacturers, who in turn are clear
| ing their decks for purchase of new
raw materials for production of all
goods. Railroads are increasing
freight shipments. They all have
evidence that business is better.
That word has been passed down
the line to silk weavers, to stock
ing makers, to woOlen and cotton
manufa cturers and finally to i'm
porters. Cutters are buying goods,
and silk mills which have been
working at not more than so per-
cent of capacity and having diff
ficulty in disposing of that amount
of goods, are increasing produc-
ton. Shoe manufacturers are
speeding up with assurance of de-
mand at good prices. Sweater knit
ters are buying yarns in quantities
and raw materials are stabiliZing
in price.
Industrial concerns are writing
more letters starting your order
received" and they are buying
thousands of new typewriters and
hiring thousands of stenographers.
Steel mills not only are increas-
ing production, but some concerns
are increasing prices on their pro-
ducts. Some mills. for the first
time in many months, are working
at a full hundred percent of ca
pacity. The industries of the great
Mahoning valley steel district are
operating on a higher percentage
than at any time for a year.
Whatever effect a coal strike
may have on April l, the prospect
of strike is speeding up produc-
ton, shipments and sales now.
Scores of mines are breaking pro-
duction records and railroads are
carrying heavily increased coal
tonnages.
Automobile sales are increasing
steadily and indications are not
lacking that the era of price cut
ting is over, at least for a time.
The paper industry is speeding up.
Prices are firm and supplies in the
hands of distributors are small.
Prospects for the farmers are no
less bright, although many have
suffered a diminution of their pa
per profits through determination
to wait for higher prices for their
grain holdings. The trend upward
in farm products, however, in most
lines is unmistakable, and is based
on the solid foundation of world
supply and demand. The increased
sales of fertilizers throughout the
country is ample indication of the
more favorable situation.
Poultrymen, however, are fac
Continued on Page Five)