The Washington times., 1925-10-15

Inere Is uOIuAH8 WNOtAe W@sAs
the business outlook anywhere in
this country said Vice President
Thomas Up. Hickman Of the Frank
lin National Bank today. 1T is
impossible to question the basic
conditions upon which American
business is now proceeding. They
are sound and economically SUD-
stantial.
Possibly there has never been
q time in the history OF the ccun.
try when reasonable commercial
enterprise could proceed with more
assurance Of success than at the
present moment.
AS the national. situation Is
satisfactory" continued Mr.. Hick-
man. cit Is obvious that Washing
ton, coming more or less under
the same influence, win find Its
business flowing along normally
and satisfactorily as, the tall
months wane and we swing into
the winter season. In fact, said
Mr.. Hickmon, washington occu-
pies better position insofar as
retail trade is concerned than
many OF the other large cities .
THE Capital is practically al
ways assured of a certain amount
Of trade stimulus when the Con-
gress is I'm session and in addi-
ton to this, it has the advantage
of a considerable influx Of visitors
during the winter season.
while these visitors may not
add a great deal to the permanent
upbuilding Of the city, they I'M
doubtedly do contribute in no small
amount to the stimulation OF bust.
cit has been quite noticeable .
Mr. Hickman said. '"that within
recent years there has been a de.
cided increase in the number of
offices opened in Washington bJ
large interests whose main head.
quarters are in other sections of
the country. The reason for this
f. obvious.
"It is necessary for all large in
terests to keep In close touch with
the departments of Government
and with legislators having direct
official connection with matters ef-
fecting business, either generally or
specially.
'This contact is an excellent
thing as Il induces a better under
standing Of business problems on
the part of government and a bet
ter understanding of government
ON the part Of business.
$50 far as Washington is con-
cerned, however, the result of the
establishment of these representa-
ttyes of outside interests here is
the bringing TO the city Of a very
desirable class of residents which
adds to the economic fife of the
city in quite as decided a manner
as II adds to the social life.
while We do not, as yet, find
in and around Washington" con-
tinued Mr.. Hickman, communities
given over to homes of industrial
workers in great numbers. such
as we find In and around other
great cities, 1t is Increasingly evil
dent that Washington is not alto
gether a rich maps town for 1t
seems to hold equal attraction for
the family of moderate means as
for the millionaire.
ain this connection It IL worthy
of note that the homes OF moderate
cost are increasing more rapidly
than are the expensive mansions
which would indicate that there Is
ample employment here, even out
side of the Government offices.
Possibly there is no better indi-
cation of the stability Of business
than is foundsin the increasing num-
Der OF home owners in the great
circle of newly developed territory
which reaches all the way around
the District Of Columbia.
THE people who are buying and
building these homes cannot all be
accounted for by the Government
offices, and many of them "rH e''1.
pIoyed in commercial and business
pursuits which must be staDIe ind
prosperous.
Going back over the history OF
the Capital for many years" said
Mr.. Hickman, ''it is almost impos-
sibIe to find period wherein bust.
ness stood still or moved backward.
On the contrary, it is automatic
! that the city has constantly grown
I In population and wealth with no
setbacks.
Arguing from this premise alone,
Z 1t is possible to predict continual
ton of growth and expanding bust
ness. However. there are other
reasons for expecting good business
conditions here this fall as 1 have
already said and can see no present
cause for anything less than a nor,
NAL business season, which means a
good business season.
! LAS to the future" concluded
Mr.. Hickman, sit is assured by the
stability of our Government and the
continued growth of the country in
l..