Milford chronicle., 1922-12-01
UNCLE TED'S
BEDTIME STORIES
UNCLE TED WRITES FROM THE
FAR SOUTH BUSINESS CON-
DITIONS GOOD THROUGH
OUT THE COUNTRY
ELECTION NO RE-
Election UP
ON HARDING

]
the store for mother. Maybe she has
the afternoon mail, let's go find her."
The two kiddies ran through the
house to the kitchen where mother
was finishing the last of the dishes
| from the evening meal. Jack had been
at Freddie's house for supper and had
just returned.
did you get a letter for us from
Uncle Ted?" asked Jack as he ran in
to the kitchen.
Eyes, Jack, there it is over on the
table" answered his mother. "It came
late this afternoon and I haven't Op-
ened it as it is addressed to you both.
So take it and run along. AS soon as
you have finished reading you must
both run along to bed"
"In a few minutes Ruth and Jack
were seated before the open fire and
Jack spoke up:
at seems to me Uncle Ted has been
gone an awful long time but I knew
he'd write us about his trip, so here
goes"
"NIy dearest kiddies: Uncle Ted had
hoped to be with you by the time you
receive this letter but it is impossible.
1 have had a wonderful trip and al
though very busy, 1 have taken time
in every city and on every train to
find out as much as possible about
what people are thinking of our gov
ernment at Washington and the gen
eral business conditions of the cOun-
try. My first stop was Columbus, Ohio.
Naturally the people there are very
strong for President Harding. 1 found
a very optimistic feeling about gener-
al conditions, in the hotel lobbies, on
the street, in the stores and in the
newspaper offices. 1t was Armistice
Day when 1 was there and there were
over 5000 soldiers and ex-soldiers in
a big parade. 1t was beautiful sight.
Columbus is booming and they have
absolute faith in the present admins
tration at Washington to continue to
run the government on as near bus
mess basis as is possible. Nine out of
ten people to whom 1 talked are in
favor of the ship subsidy plan and this
is interesting when we consider that
Columbus is far removed from the
coast. And let me say here that 1 find
a general feeling everywhere that
something must be done and quickly
regarding our merchant marine. Bus
mess men everywhere I have been
know that with the government run
ming the shipping business as it is
today means a cost of about S5O,OOO,-
900 a year to the taxpayers. Surely
most any constructive plan to change
that is welcome. Even the opponents
of the ship subsidy idea must admit
that it is worth something to lift that
tremendous expense from Uncle
Sans back.
"From Columbus I went to Indian
apolis, Indiana. Indianapolis is grow
ing by leaps and bounds and her real
estate values are on the up grade
which naturally reflects well for the
general condition of the city and sur
rounding territory. The farmers are
getting back on their feet, slowly but
surely and they are beginning to
spend more money because they have
it to spend.
"I find in talking to the travelling
men even through the South that bus
mess is much better and that they are
greatly encouraged for the future.
"AIy next stop was st. Louis, Mo.
st. Louis is a big city busy from one
end to the other with all kinds Of in
dustries. Built on the banks of the
Mississippi River, the people are en-
couraged by the better conditions in
business and are planning the rebuild
ing of their water front so that much
of their products may be shipped by
water. Everything in st. Louis points
to progress and better times.
''You both would love Kansas City,
1--.C C.-T nsA ~ kI1C
Heart of the Nation There on the
streets and in the hotels you find the
smartly dresser easterner on business
walking along side cowboy in his
big hat and the prosperous ranch own
er and oil man who are in the city for
a few days attending to the shipping
of cattle or the placing of their oil in
the hands of one of the many big oil
companies. The city fairly bOoms with
the noise of business and prosperity.
One newspaper man told me when
showing me through one of the most
up-to-date newspaper plants have
ever seen that real estate men and
contractors say it will take ten years
for them to catch up in the building
necessary to take care of the growing
needs of the city. Dozen of apartment
houses are being built and hundreds
of houses. The lumber business is get
ting back to normal in comparison
with the slump through which it has
passed. The hotels are crowded and
there is no talk of hard times.
From Kansas City passed down
through Oklahoma and into the great
state of Texas. Even in the South
where men are naturally inclined to
make light of Republican admins
tration 1 found business so active
that there was no complaint. In fact,
the South is now enjoying the great
est prosperity it has known in many,
many years. The cotton crop of the
past year brought about billion and
half dollars into that section of the
country, and in recent years cotton
manufacturing has increased so rap
idly that now the South puts into
manufactured form more than half
the cotton it produces.
"Among other things learned
while I was making swing through
the South I might mention; the Louis
vile and Nashville Railroad is spend
ing 100000 for double tracking and
other improvements; Norfolk, Virgin
ia, is spending five million dollars
on waterfront terminal facilities to
aid in ocean shipping; new industrial
plants costing more than five million
dollars are being erected near Balti-
more; in the state Of Mississippi
there are school buildings under con-