The Washington herald., 1922-07-31
BUSINESS BOOM
AT HAND, SURVEY
OF NATION SHOWS
Buying Power Of Farm.
ers Greater-Trade
Outlook Good.

et~oA VI ~ pCI CCht VI laSk year .
crops has been marketed, increasing
the purchasing power of the farmer,
and prospects for fall crops and fall
business are reported as either ex-
cellent. good, or fair in all parts
Of the country. according to an
article in the August number of
American Industries. the magazine
of the National Association of
Manufacturers, by Walter L. Todd.
vice president and general manager
of the Todd Protectograph Com
pany, Rochester, N. Y. Mr.. Todd's
optimistic estimate of present and
prospective business conditions In
the country Is based on q nation
wide survey recently completed by
the salesmen of his company's staff.
who are constantly in contact with
bankers. manufacturers. whole
salers and merchants.
The poll was undertaken by the
company in an effort to determine
the extent OF the sales campaign
to be conducted next year. In the
instructions accompanying the brief
form Of questions to be answered.
the statesmen were impressed with
the fact that on the accuracy OF
the information obtained depended
laTktly LHt suCCCS5 VI Oil CAtChuCo
production and sales campaign that
was contemplated. The nature OF
the company's business, that of SELL
ing safety check paper and check
protection devices to bankers. man
ufacturers and merchants doing
very large annual business and with
we'll organized means for gathering
information In their territories,
gave it's statesmen ready access to
Just the sort of information desired
in the canvass.
The intensive survey was directed
to the task of gathering information
on conditions and prospects In agri-
culture, manufacturing and the whole
sale and retail trades. the questions
being so phrased as to bring answers
revealing the fundamental conditions
governing each phase of the business
outlined. Less than per cent of
business houses collecting the infor-
nation in their territories reported
trade conditions as poor and not one
went on record as regarding the fall
outlook for business as anything less
than fair.
In the agricultural group prospects
for this years crops were reported
as good by IS per cent of the answers:
fair by 81 per cent, and excellent by
25 per cent
The present condition of trade in
the manufacturing field was shown
to be fair by IS per cent of the re-
plies received; good. by 4a per cent:
excellent. by l per cent. and poor by
2 per cent Prospects for the fall
manufacturing trade were reported
good by II per cent Of the answers:
foi ir hxy -
by 5 per cent. An increase in employ
ment in the country's manufacturing
plants in fall was expected by 90 per
cent Good effects on business
through the decrease in railroad rates
was expected by 81 per cent; 13 per
cent regarding the decrease as being
potential of no results, either good or
bad.
Trade in the wholesale field was re-
ported fair by Sc per cent of the
answers. with 81 per cent pronounc-
ing it good. Only 2 per cent reported
poor business.
Prospects for fall trade in the
wholesale field were reported as
good by Ga per cent of the replies:
fair. by 33 per cent; and excellent
by per cent. Outstanding credits
were being met, SO per cent of the
replies showed, slowly or fairly
slowly: while 81 per cent showed
collections to be normal. In the
retail trade SO per cent of the re-
ports showed present business to
be fair. with 29 per cent good,
per cent excellent. and per cent
poor. Seventy-one per cent of the
answers looked for business in the
fall to be good, "a per cent, fair.
and per cent excellent. Not one
reported an expectation of poor
business in the fall.
New York Is the only State re-
porting 1s0 per cent of last years
crops marketed. Montana coming
next with 96 per cent; California,
Connecticut. Florida and Washing
ton. each 95 per cent; New Hamp-
shire. "a per cent: Massachusetts.
SO per cent; North Carolina, 81 per
cent: Missouri, New Jersey and
Oklahoma, 90 per cent: Ohio, SO per
cent; Louisiana, SS per cent; Geor-
gia. Minnesota and Tennessee, 81
per cent; Arkansas and Utah. SO per
cent; Indiana. So per cent; Ne
braska and Texas. so per cent, and
Michigan. rs per cent. The Dis
trict of Columbia reports, which
probably included and overlapped
nearby sections of the contiguous
Slater of Maryland and Virginia,
placed the marketing of last years
crops in its territory at 81 per
cent.