Great Falls tribune., 1922-02-17
THE MONTANA BUSINESS
OUTLOOK.

OUTLOOK.
nISTINCTLY better is the out
- look in Montana for prosper
Gus year. The resumption of work
In the mines and smelters of the
Anaconda Copper company has con-
siderable to do with that fact,
though probably less than half a
full force is at work up to date
with that company. However, the
new payrolls added in Butte, Ana
conda, Great Falls and other cities
where the company operates, and
the knowledge that these will be
increased from month to month
until full operations are achieved,
has done much to stimulate busi-
ness all over the state.
An increase of about twenty per
cent in the price Of wheat and
a noticeable stiffening in the price
of other grains, has helped along
the progress Of a more hopeful feel
ing. The present market talk in
the east is that the prospect is
good for 4 continued advance in
the price Of wheat because the
world supply is likely to be less
than the world demand during the
present year. The low price Of
wheat last fall resulted in de-
crease in the acreage of fall wheat
planted in this country. The better
price this spring may stimulate
spring planting and so bring up the
average crop in this country. The
ample snowfall this winter encour-
ages the Montana farmer to hope
for a good crop. Wheat is the
favorite "cash" crop Of the farmer.
At any reasonable price, the Mon
tana farmer will plant wheat be-
cause it means prompt cash in the
fall. Last year brought fair crop
as regards quantity to most sec
tions of the state, but the price was
abnormally low. We have an idea
that the spring planting of wheat
will be large in Montana if the
present trend Of wheat prices keeps
up. The hope of a good crop Of
grain in Montana during 1922 which
will sell for fair prices in the fall,
is growing stronger with the heavy
deposit of moisture on the land in
the shape of snow, and the rising
grain markets in the east. It has
its place in the more cheerful busi-
ness outlook.
The wool grower of Montana has
had his bumps in the past two
years. In fact, he got it even
worse than the grain farmer, and
the prospect for the sheep man is
growing brighter even faster than
it is for the grain farmer. Wool
has advanced fully twenty-five per
cent in recent months in Boston
quotations. Wool buyers arc ap-
pearing in the west even at this
early date which signifies that the
wool buying houses expect rising
market and would contract wool
clips in advance, thing they have
not been doing in recent years. The
Boston Commercial Bulletin which
makes a speciality of wool quota
tions and prospects, recently print
ed a rather doleful statement about
unsold wooden goods at the mills
and then printed this statement:
"The situation in the west, how
ever, has gained strength, 36H
cents having been offered and re-
jected for the Jericho, Utah, wool
pool, against an initial bid Of 1913
cents year ago. This sale is typ
ical of the situation in the west,
where prices are being paid which
seem hardly warranted by the east
ern situation" With a fair price
for wool this year, good many
Montana woolgrowers will see the
world with a more cheerful out
look. The Boston newspaper says:
"The mills are going on Stacker
time. The demand for goods, ex-
cept on overcoats and some wom-
ems wear, is reported unsatisfac-
tory and stocks of clothing unsold
and in the hands of retailers are
reported large" That may pos
sibly be true, but we are credibly