The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-10-30
P!RoSP E|RIlY IS
SHoIVnBY VIDE
PRICE RANGES

n ;. c. ROYLE.

II J. C. ROYLE.
Copyright 1872. BY The August
New York. N. Y, Oct 30.-The
widening price range OF the mer-
chandise now demanded BY the
American public is the most signifi-
cant commercial Indication OF to-
day. II IL even more indicative Of
prosperity In merchandising con-
ditions for the winter and next
spring than the volume Of business
now being done both 1t retail and
Wholesale which In many localities
is SURPRISING that Of last year by
20 to 30 per cent.
Medium priced lines still are as
popular a. ever but buying is no
longer confined to goods Of middle
price ranges. 1t has spread wits
the advance in wages and increase
in buying power to the more ex-
pensive goods. Consequently me--
chants ara carrying q wider variet I
and selection Of articles than ut
any time in over two years. Cash
transactions as Indicated by bank
clearings will be 90 per cent greater
this month than last In some re-
spects.
Clothing Is Leader. 4
Clothing this week continues the
active leader Of retail trade. APP
parel manufacturers, wholesalers
and retailers are doing Is to 80
per cent more business than at this
time last year. Shoe factories are
working on full time schedules>and
payrolls are being augmented as
rapidly - skilled workers can be
secured. Leather markets arc
buoyant after dragging for the last
two years and while hides are quiet
they are moving into consumption
channels.
Wool is seeking higher price
levels and as a result Of this trend
Of the market there is considerable
speculative buying in evidence,
Household goods are vying with ap-
parel in popularity.
Men heavily interested in build
ing. construction would gladly see
further check in that busine 81
than has already occurred. A slack
ening now, they asserted today
would permit producers of build
ing materials to catch up with
orders and lay up surplus stocks in
preparation for next springs pro
gram.
Lumber Demand Heavy.
This would result in stabiliZins
construction costs and prevent :
jump in building commodity mar.
kets which might have . disastrous
effect on the whole industry. Brick
lumber and cement mills are run
ming full blast. Lumber has moi
caught up with accumulated de.
mand but is gradually bringing
, shipments shove new business.
Real estate values are becoming
stabilized in nearly every sectiot
but wages continue higher in thu
, building trades. Rents in genera
are slightly lower.
Southern mills are hard pressed
to get. raw cotton and are SENDING
trucks throughout the farming dis
tricts and buying direct from tn
( planters. The spot cotton shoftag'
is becaming acute. Growers having
sold enough of their crops to cove,
immediate needs and pay thei
debts are holding the remainder To-
further price advances.
Southwest Needs Rain.
Grain men in the northwest, how
ever, are selling their product a
they can get to market and Their
is less speculative holding than TO
some years. Milling wheat, how
ever, is at a premium in some cen
tiers. Drought 10 acute in some o
the southwestern territory Unless
rain falls in the next 10 days, boil
, livestock and grain losses probabl.
will be heavy. Fall blowing is be
! ing held back by the dry weather
The potato harvests have been -ex
ceptionally heavy but demand =
slack and many growers cannot &c
their tubers to market.
+: Steel production would boun'
, forward we're it not for the check
imposed by labor shortage AM
; transportation difficulties. Man,
firms from other sections have sen
representatives Of the Pittsburg!
district in the hope Of speeding u
deliveries.
Cold weather and heavy advertis
| ing have been aids TO retail trad
| in the last week.