Evening star., 1923-03-14
TAXPAYMENTSPUT
DAMPER ON TRADE
Huge Sums Being Paid to ,
U. S. Government Prevent
Selling of Goods.
BY J. e. ROYLE.
Special Dispa tch to The Star

| NEW YORK. March 1l-The ap-
proach OF March Is. the last day for
Ming and payment Of income tax re-
turns. has had a marked effect or
wholesale and retail trade through
out the country this week. Paymen,
or income taxes has not crippled buy
ing power either on the part of con
suher or retailer, but reports from
all over the country indicated today
that this outgo OF funds, whether in
prospect or retrospect, has had a de-
cided effect on the psychology OF
buying.
! The delays, therefore, which sales
men all over the country have expert
enced on account of storms and traf-
nc conditions have not been withou.
tnelr compensations. Scores of man
star statesmen" ready for the road,
| out are holding them temporarily in
oroer to let the effect of the March
10 disbursement pass.
! Departures of these saIesmeu whn
Will make the big town operators who
are able to finance the shipment of
! Iall and winter goods In June and
July. their objective. is veiled in deep
est secrecy; Each Is afraid his com
petitors will get the jump on him and
load Of sample trunks, station
bound, is likely to send a score Of
travelers scurrying for Transportation
| ihese Will be only the advance
guard, however. for the main arm
Of SELLERS. especially in the clothing
ana apparel lines for fall, will not get
| into action before the second week OF
April.
! Work Clothing Advance Predicted.
| Manufacturers of overalIs and work
cIothing report that the increase in
| INDUSTRIAL activity has been fully re-
| nected In the demand for these goods
The trend of the cotton market. how
ever, and the tirmness Of cotton cloth
prices lncilnes them to predict ad-
! Fahces In quotations in the next few
weeks. Few manufacturers. accord
! ing. to denim producers, have fllled
| tnelr requirements for cloth more
| lhan Two months In advance and
many are operating in hand-to-
mouth way which shortly will neces-
| state repricing of overalls on a basis
OF replacement costs
! Farmers throughout the middle
west are not only buying work cloth
ing, but implements and machinery,
| according to reports from Chicago
AS a result implement makers are
actively in the market for steel and
are preparing to increase their pro i
duction schedules from 70 TO so pei
cent of capacity.
! More Freight Cars Needed.
! Railroads are prepared to place
| orders for at least 10000 freight cars
T, ana contracts for nearly $500 have
been closed in the last week. Lead
| Ing copper producers throughout the
| west are preparing to follow the lead
OF Anaconda and Calumet and Hecla
, in making wage advances to their
miners and now are negotiating for
an equitable basis of advance.
| Ihe prices for mechanical rubber
goods made by the United States
Rubber Company will be withdrawn
have not Yet been announced The
other tire manufacturers have new
price lists all prepared, but their
announcement has been held back in
spite OF the advance of 10 per cent
| by the United States Rubber Com
! pany. Many Of the smaller COM
| panfes are waiting for others of the
! big producers to take the lead. As
/ 1t Is estimated that at least 45,o0o,000
! tires will be made and sold this year.
any advance must be of far-reachins
! effect.
! steel Prices Advanced.
| CHICAGO: March II tspeciaD.--
So ton in this section and it is re-
ported the United States Steel Corpo-
ration will place price higher thanl
SAT a ton on standard steel rails for'
The company now is operating it's
plants in this section at 81 per cent
| of capacity.
Easter Buying Booms Trade.
| NEW ORLEANS. March IA (Specian.
THE coming of Easter and the warm
weather now prevailing are proving
| boons to retailers throughout the
!, south and southeast. Sales are run
ming about 80 per cent ahead of those
OF last year and in many lines the
gains have been even higher than
that. The turnover of silk goods hasS
doubled. while demand for ribbons
! novelties, gloves and millinery has
! improved 40 per cent
Houses Must Use Coal
| PITTSBURGH, Pa, March IA (spe-
ciaD.-A new line of construction
work is appearing here today People
whose homes were built to be heated
by natural gas are finding that they
must install new chimneyS to use
coal as fuel. Natural gas producers
are urging everybody in the CONT
munity to prepare to use coal or other
fuel for heating purposes, instead OF
natural gas.
Big improvements Planned.
MINNEAPOLIS. March IA Especially
THE Minneapolis Street Railway
will start one of the largest better
ment programs ever undertaken here
April 1. Track extensions and pay
ing will cost 100000 and give work
| to 200 additional men.
! Copyright, 1881
SOUTHERN RAILWAY GROWS