The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1922-07-06
Uncle Sam, Despite the World War, is on Sound
Financial Basis
The Prospect for Ellis County and Western Kan
sas Never Looked Brig hter---Hays is Doing
More Actual Building than Most Other
Cities in the State.
(By R. Kenneth Evans)


! to the economic effect of prohibition
/ on the country. However regretfully
some persons may look forward to
every holiday being a "dry'' one and
a general Sahara outlook for years to
come, the fact remains that the nation
is saving fully $4,000, O,OOO,OOO.OO a
year that was formerly wasted. Also
saving the money actually spent for
intoxicants which is only a small part
of the benefit. The great cause of
Intoxicating drink was the waste of
energy, waste of moral fibre, waste
of spiritual vision. With prohibition
in effect the economic readjustment
of the country has been and viii be
more easily accomplished than other
wise would be possible.
Today the United States has six
f per cent Of the worlds population
( and seven per cent of the worlds
land and more than twenty-five per
cent Of the worlds agricultural pro
ducts; more than 3 1-3 per cent of
the worlds minerals and more than
one-third of the worlds manufac-
tured goods. Also the United States
has more than one-half the worlds
gold. These facts are CLEANED from
| government statistics and statistics
gathered by the National City Bank
of New York. Do they indicate hard
times ahead? Is there anything here
10 view with alarm? Certainly there
is much to which we can point with
pride but the sky is not cloudless.
Foreign countries, particularly Eu-
rope, cannot continue TO buy from us
unnless they can earn money with
which to pay for our products and this
is plan that is now being worked out
by all governments.
Bringing economic conditions
! closer to home the state of Kansas is
recognized to he in as good condition
as any of the western states. Her re-
organization has been substantial and
rapid. In fact it is we'll known that
due to the progressive spirit of Kan
sas and the fact that they are famil-
lar with adversity they have weather
ed these conditions better than many
of the other western states.
Just at this time in Ellis county
and adjoining counties in Western
Kansas, increased prices for both
grain and livestock have brought en-
couragement to the farmers and some
liquidation. An improved sentiment
has appeared not only because of the
increase in prices but also because
many farmers are just beginning to
realize the extent to which other
lines of industry suffered during
1921. Financial statements of large
business concerns are showing large
money losses, running in many cases
into the millions of dollars for the
firms in the commercial centers of
the United States. These losses are
not confined to those directly con-
nected with the prosperity of the
agricultural sections, such as packers
and manufacturers of farm imple-
ments and equipment, but extended
to large business concerns in almost
every other line of manufacturer and
distribution. Some of these suffer
ing the heaviest losses have in years
past been the most prosperous.
A part of the increase in prices of
farm products, especially in hogs, re-
suits in the rise in foreign exchange
rate, which began in the last quarter
of 1921, and which was taken advan-
tage of by foreign countries to make
purchases from which they have prev
iously held back. This buying of
pork products does not have mich
direct effect on Ellis county because
/, of the fact that at this time it is not
hog producing county, but the gen
eral effect on the state has been good
and has reflected to this section. The
effect of government aid is beginning
to be felt and this is especially true
in the western sections of the United
States. According TO a statement
from War Finance corporation, order
ly liquidation is reflected in recent
repayments in connection with its
/ export aoans as well as those for