The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-10-03
BE BULL ON AMERICA,

Billions of dollars. not figuratively
speaking, but actually billions of real
money, are going into construction
work and vast industrial undertakings
turnout the country, says the Manu-
facturers Record.
Railroads are beginning to order
rolling stock more freely than for a
long time, knowing that the revival
of business now under way, despite
strikes and other difficulties, will
bring about a volume of traffic far
beyond their present ability to handle.
Hundreds OF millions of dollars are
going into the construction of high
ways, and the highway building of the
country has scarcely begun as COM
pared with what we shall see during
the next few years.
During the first eight months of the
present year there has been let to
contract in the South new construc-
ton work aggregating, In the con-
tract price, $4,000. 900, not includ-
ing thousands of dwellings and small
enterprises costing less than $4,000
each, for in this calculation no ac-
count is taken of amy building costing
less than $4,000. The actual cost of
all construction work generally largely
exceeds directly or indirectly the con-
tract price. Counting this and thous-
ands of small dwellings which have
been built since January 1, or are now
under construction, the total of actual
construction work would run far be-
yond $4o0.oO0.000.
OF enterprises projected in the South
since January 1, including hotels, Of
flee buildings, churches, schools, high
way improvements and other enter
prises for many of which contracts are
being made as rapidly as the details
can be worked out, the total is $685.
100000. This amount also does not
include anything costing less than
SIC, 900.
These amazing figures are but typi-
cal of what is going on thruout the
country, but the South has been the
first section to come back into in
creasins activity and the fullest utili-
zation of its resources.
With the enormous. Investigation
great fruit crops of the present sea-
son, with its people producing home
supplies to q larger extent than for
many years, with it's coal mines and
cotton mills and many other industrial
interests crowded, with vast water
power projects under way involving
the expenditure of many millions of
dollars. with $6.000,OOO going into
one sulphur development and $780,
600 into one cement plant, both typi-
cal of what is taking place in many
parts of this section, the South is
moving forward to a broader and
sounder prosperity than it has ever
known. No longer will it's prosperity
depend upon one crop, as for many
years. 1t is forever freed from that
danger and now it moves forward on
safe and sound lines for an industrial
upbuilding, for a utilization of its
matchless resources in soil and in
minerals and in water powers and in
timbers, in its sulphur and in oil, and
its marbles and GRANTEES, to an era
of prosperity SURPRISING anything that
it has ever known.
The time is rapidly coming when
labor will be fully employed thruout
the whole country, and no man will
have TO seek in vain for work.
When the Steel Corporation an
nounced an advance of wages it made
one of the wisest moves in the history
of that great Corporation, wisely
managed as it has been. Following
| its example other interests will of
necessity have to pay higher wages,
and this should be matter of pro-
found rejoicing on the part of employ
ers and as well as employees. Low
wages are always a curse. They curse
every country in which they prevail.
India and China are fair samples of
what low wages mean to a nation.
High wages, which enable men to
earn enough to live in comfort, are a
blessing individually and nationally.
We are tendin; to higher wages, to
full employment. The curse of the
deflation of labor, like the curse of
deflation of credit, has run its day.
There is no longer room for the pes
simist. His day is gor ;. Optimism
strong virile optimism, should rule the
land. Out o. the turmoil of the hour
in strikes there will come peace be-
tween employer and employee. Rail-
roads will run, mines will be OPP
Grated and the whole nation. more
marvelously endowed with natural ad-
vantages than any other area on
earth, will go forward to boundless
prosperity.
Be "bull'' on America!