The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-07-15
II !. D. nlIIk.

Da910 ~ eYq2I ~ ~ tt0N@ = -
bueineae eDecjal u War1ing that
the trnck q not clear ahaaa. =
consequsnce business u pcoceedang
caulioasIy and under full control.
There seams little prospect that
business will be wrecked Or sn3er
disaStor Or eEen serious dslay but
the track u not clear and viii not
be until the present labor coutro-
ysSsies are removed from the right
Of Ny. Whsn that II accomplish
ed there y every reason to believe
thai hasinees will make up lost
Hms. For the demand Il there and
hpstness usually manages TO meet
aemAnd.
The coal. rail and textile strilkss
are serious Obstacles but business
history has shown that while labor
di1tprhences cause month to month
irregularities they merely retard
rather than prevent business expan-
sion. The textile strike has not ths
broad significance Of the other two
as 1t is affecting only the New Eng
land mills. To prove the effect of
the coal strike it 10 simple matter
OF arithmetic, the country IL burn
ing Slo0O, 900 tons q week more than
1t is producing. Industries already
are feeling the depletion Of surplus
stocks. II the trouble 10 adjusted
speedily, however. the effects will
NOT he keenly feit
Money rates are lower, credit
conditions have essed and the banks
are In splendid shape to take care
of the reasonable demands Of bust
ness for expansion, once labor con-
troyersies are out Of the way. This
will be aided by the upward trend
Of prices for basis commodities, the
excellent prospects Of the crop
growers and the broadening de-
mand for manufactured products.
Railroads are preparing to ask
for bids on tens OF thousands Of
new cars. They are in the market
Tor locomotives and other equip
ment which will cost scores of mil
Lions OF dollars. Building activity
has been only temporarily lessened
Steel mills are falling far behind
their orders with buyers ciamorine
for deliveries. The automobile in
dustry, instead OF experiencing the
usual midsummer slump is pro.
ceeding at record production.
! Perhaps one Of the most signifi
cant trends apparent at present il
the business world is the decided
improvement both at Wholesale ant
retail in the demand for clothing
Hats, caps, shoes, shirts and haber.
dashery are booming and manu-
uafturers are adding to their work
ing forces. The call for work cloth
ing is especially insistent ,indicat
ing the betterment in the employ
ment situation. In many sections
I merchants have completely dis
posed OF their straw hat stocks ans
manufacturers Of light weight suit
have had one OF the best seasons II
their history.
i, The use Of electric power an,
gas consumption are on the in
. crease and utility companies are ex
pending capacity. More paints, var
nishes and oils have bsen made an,
sold than for several years. Sale
of farm implements have nearl
doubled the. totals at this time las
year and the influx Of money t
farmers from the harvest ha
hardly begun to make itself fel
as yet.
Fruit is perhaps more likely t
suffer from effects of the rail strik
. than other commodities but at leas
a large part Of the crops can b
expeditiously moved by boat an
motor truck. Some of the market
have been flooded with fruit with
: consequent severe drop in price
= but the yield has been profitable i
most instances.
Al Lumber production has not bee
curtailed in the northwest and Their
: again water transportation will! TAX
e care OF the larger part of the outpu
q The demand for metals has set tn
mines to rushing production. Iro
ore shipments are rapidly gettin
back toward top figures and IA Ger
;. copper and better prices and d.
mand for zinc are aiding producer
and smslters.
Livestock quotations are risin
and growers are on a more stab
financial basis. Packers are doin
Z more business both at home an
abroad and the markets for hide
and leather continue to recoI
!. gains both in prices and volume.
8 Tire production is being mali
' tanned though not augmented, b,
i manufacture of other rubber goot
Q is gaining steadily. Tnrs are fai
0 " active and higher prices are pr
dicted. Department store trade hi
q been affected somewhat by weathi