The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-05-27
s8GNs OF PROSPERITY.

! hepOrIS TO the w mite House nave
convinced President Harding that we
are ON the eve of a business revival
which he expects to continue. By way
OF Comment on this. the Railway Age
states that these statements were
made prior to a decision of the inter
state commerce commission reducing
rates and also before the dinner at
which the president urged the rail-
roads voluntarily to reduce rates.
But the Age fails to call attention to
the fact that the revival began sub
sequent to a considerable reduction
made in rates on number of articles,
Including agricultural products.
Striking proof that the business of
the country is not being seriously re-
tarded by freight rates is afforded, +"
says the Age, by recent reports Of
freight car loading which show that
general business, exclusive of coal, is
moving over the railroads at a heavier
rate than it was even in 1920, tina
peak year of railroad traffic and be-
fore the latest advance in rates.
For the week ending May IS, It
points out, the number of cars loaded
with revenue freight was $4,000, an
increase Of $4,000, as compared with
the corresponding week of last year,
in spite of the fact that less than half
Of the normal amount of coal is now
moving. The coal traffic for that
week, $4,000 cars. was $4,000 cars less
than the movement for the corre-
spending week last year. If this
amount of coal were added, the total
loading would have been $4,000, as
compared with 5000 cars loaded in
the corresponding week of 1920. A
similar statement may be made of the
other weeks since the coal strike be-
gan.
President Harding, in his speech
before the United States Chamber Of
Commerce recently, expressed in a
way that attracts more attention than
the carloading reports the fact that
business is reviving'' and our coun-
try is finding itself again. When re-
ports of the American Railway asso-
cation for April and estimates for the
first part of May show more cars
loaded thanh the corresponding
weeks Of last year in spite of the loss
of coal traffic. it cannot be denied
that business is. not only Improving
but that it has improved. AS practi-
cally all business involves transporta-
ton, it would be difficult to find a
better index of the general activity of
the country than these weekly car
loading figures.
When the railroads are busy every
body is busy This is shown by the
almost entire disappearance of IN
employment. Conversely, when ev-
erybody is employed the railroads are
more fully employed.
In it's weekly review of the market
the American Lumberman says:
In the cities, building is going for
ward with increased momentum and
dealers are enjoying a heavy demand
In the oil fields, business again is ac-
tive and this is true also OF the mining
districts except coal producing re-
gions.
Retail iumbermen have bought and
are buying lumber heavily, but it is
not accommodating in the yards, stocks
being low; lumber bought by retailers
so Tar this year has gone immediately |
into consumption and there has been
practically 10 Hccum ulation. The call !
from industries is increasing steadily,
as is shown by the recent keen de- |
mand for Grating stock n the Chicago |
o@SIrlCI ACTIVITY IN shipping factory /
products means that business is on |
the increase. Money is steadily be-
coming more plentiful and it is pos
sible to get it at lower rates. Some |
large buildings recently have been /
financed at unusually low rates.
Lumber production is increasing, |
but not so rapidly as orders AS a re- /
suit some manufacturers have with /
drawn from the market, and many /
others are limiting their sales to sur /
plus stock or odd cuttings developed |
IN getting out orders already on hand /
Ihe increase in production is well Il
shown by conditions on the Pacific 1
coast For the week ended May Is, I
production of mills reporting to the 4
West Coast Lumbermen's- association
was Der cent above normal, whereas
until very short time ago produc-
ton was 80 TO 20 per cent below nor
NAL The Southern Pine association I
mills have enjoyed a very active bust
ness and last weeks bookings per mill
were the second largest on record for
any week since the formation OF the
association, more than seven years
ago.
In marked CONTRAST ]