The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-04-04
BACk IU NUKMAL
Business Depression Is Fast
Disappearing in Kansas.
Wholesalers and Retailers Re-
port Increase in Sales.
TINES ARE RETURNING
Canvass of Business Concerns
Here Is Optimistic.
Spring Trade Has Been Very
Brisk All Report.
BETTER times ARE RETURNING
CBy the Associated Press.)

{ both WhOl leSale and retail business mas
followed the period of business de-
preston and upheava1 generally. with
the result that Kansas is emerging
with a conspicuous smile of nor
malcy."
! Wholesalers and retailers appear to
agree to this and all cite as a main
! factor in the return of better times the
fact that Kansas basic industry, agri-
culture. is on a firmer foundation than
/ it has been since the depression set in
nearly two years ago. A canvass of
/ business concerns, both wholesale and
retail. here failed to discover a pessi-
mistic note. The following statements
! are typical:
Price Conditions Solidify.
Thru February and with an in
creasing tendency thru March, busi-
ness conditions and signs show them
selves to be strongly headed for i'm
provement- And more. the improve
ment, tho slow, and all the better for
being slow. L believe is to be perma-
nent thru the year
Business is still passing thru the
refining process and one by one the
blockades to a resumption of activity
are giving away. The last to come,
and it is about due now. will be a
change in public feeling as to price
values Preceding and indicating this
there is today a great increase in the
number of inquiries with mail orders
in great numbers for small quantities
all with rush shipment requirements.
The tendency is that price is of less
Importance than a few months ago,
and that spot deliveries are important.
with the continued elimination of
weak and over-extended concerns. who
have been obliged to convert stocks
without regard to price. there comes
more solidfty into the price situation.
This, and recent advances of about 40
per cent in corn, wheat and meat,
have brought about a better feeling
and to some extent, have improved the
financial positions OF asriculturists,
effecting a better level of prices be-
tween things bought and things sold.
Sales on Increase.
7 believe that We will have shortly
an increased sales volume and that
for the next few months over-con-
serva tisIn on the part of our hardware
and builders supply dealers will entail
more losses thru shortages than thru
market declines on staple lines. There
can safely be little relaxation of
conservatism and little more conf
dence in the future for staple lines of
every day demand. Business is ad-
vancing and will broaden out as the
warm days of spring come on" r. B.
Austin. secretary-treasurer, w. A. /.
Thompson (wholesale) hardware COM
pany.
Farm Wages Still Problem.
"The most encouraging feature in
the business outlook is the general
leveling process that has taken place
in the last three months. The price
of farm products is now above the
pre-war level, and commodity prices
are slowly but surely coming down a
unit of farm products will today buy
more automobiles, trucks, tractors,
tires, and many other items than it
ever did before.
consequently, the farmers state of
mind is vastly improved and he is
ready for business. A more general
leveling is still needed for a large
number of items including urban wage
scales, but it is not unsafe to assume
that the next ninety days viii see a
continued decline in commodity prices
and a further strengthening of farm
product prices; thus completely reSror-
ing the buying power of agricultural
America" Marco Morrow, assistant
publisher, Capper Publications.
No More Peak Price, Goods.
Retailers are very optimistic over
the outlook for the immediate future /
Spring trade has been very brisk with
the public buying literally of medium
to high priced goods In the women's
lines this is especially true
The farm trade is beginning TO
take on the aspect of quick return
to normal conditions. Farmers are
buying what they need but are not
going very heavy for luxuries. This
is always a healthy sign, as a steady
buying of necessities reflects the buy
ing power of the rural trade.
Merchants have completed their +
of goods purchased at peak :
prices and are now showing goods +
bought to sell at the present market
quotations, making a profit instead
of suffering loss. as has been the case /
during the past year. Very few mer- T
chants now have peak price goods on /.
their shelves.
kansas merchants are in better
financial condition than those in
strictly industrial districts. The out
look for good crops in 1922 indicates +
that the business volume this year
Will return to normal, after the losses 4
suffered because of the depression of I
1921. Topeka retailers. sensing big
summer and fall business, are laying /
in stocks to supply a much larger de- !
mand than was anticipated at the first
of the year. 1 believe conditions are
similar in all cities in Kansas" Mil
ton Tabor, secretary of Topeka Re
- 7orf ion