Evening star., 1926-12-12
RY I. A. FLEMING.

This prosperity concerning which
one reads SO much these days Is real
and earnest, in so far as the large
employment of skilled labor of every
character. the urge of manufacturing
and the largest retailing that has ever
been known in this country of ours.
are concerned.
Moreover the employment is at the
highest wages, corporation disburse.
ments are enormous. railroads have
been completely rehabilitated and are
at the peak of their earning capacity
while life insurance companies are
paying out more money on maturing
policies than ever before.
Also there Is large employment for
common labor. and despite the high
cost of living the buying power OF the
public continues on a surprisingly
large scale.
1t Is probable that this seasons
holiday trade will exceed anything on
record, certainly in so far as Wash
ington Is concerned for our shops
have never been so busy as early as
they are this year, indeed they are
now as jammed with customers as is
customary IN the final week of holi-
day buying.
Grain and Cotton I.aggards.
1t is unfortunately true. that in
these days of activity, grain and cot
ton are laggards. and the agricultural
classes are therefore not participating
as fully in the property as they
should. being real producers and hard
workers. This is evidenced by the
hard shedding banks are having
throughout the agricultural sections
where the inability to collect on old
1@n t. y~t~ k<~
close their doors to the further COM
plication OF the unfavorable factor.
Congress has this matter under
consideration and may be able to
offer relief to the only sections of the
country where relief Is needed.
Florida Is not prosperous, but she
will work out her own salvation this
time on a sound basis, with the boom
fever completely abated and thou
sands of abandoned land contracts on
which payments have ceased revert
ing to former owners.
A large number of the real estate
statesmen will have to return to the
places whence they came, as the busi-
ness of today will not support a frac.
tion of the once active army. Those
on the ground early made money, but
the late cOmerS are now in trouble.
Millions For the People.
Extra dividends. regular payments.
interest and dividends, and the grant
ing of millions in bonuses" will be
the daily story in the papers from
now until the advent Of the new year.
Sharing of part of the prosperity with
the workers has become an American
habit. even big business" developing
enlargement of the heart in it's rela.
fnit f,,lA
A news dispatch Friday announced
that the life insurance companies
would close the year with over bill.
lion paid to the insured. They are
doing more business than ever before.
making more money and making some
concessions to the premium payers.
Washington i'm Prosperity.
Washington will draw down a large
share of the disbursements to be made
January / and earlier. Extra dividends
will again be declared by many of the
banks. although the Riggs, Metro
politan and National Savings and
Trust do not pay dividends on the
first. Bonus cash for clerks will be
plentiful.
Mergenthaler Linotype Co. will pay
the largest dividend distribution. "A
per cent on 5000 shares, calling for
1884 900 while Capital Traction will
distribute $4,000 as its quarterly
distribution.
Washington Gas, with 100000 in
dividends, is next in order among the
utilities, with the rest of the list hav
ing smaller distributions. Washington
Railway and Electric makes dividend
payments at other times, while there
are but few bond issues with interest
paVmentS due in January
Washington Is largely interested in
outside investments, probably more
than usual by reason Of the fact that
the local Stock Exchange trading list
and Electric common stock as
trading proposition.
Local banks are carrying large
amounts of Governments, and in
terest on the IS and on Liberty 31as
are both payable January /. Ameri-
can Telegraph and Telephone will
pay IN per cent on it's 81 ,054, ,40S, 300
capital stock and local investors will
receive a share Of these dollars
During the gathering up of the
funds for the January payments there
may be a little tightening of the
money market, but the chances are
good for a continual ton of the period
OF easy money with the return of
the funds to the banks again with
the early days of next month.
There is nothing In the situation to
Indicate letup in business nor vet
change In the money market.
Despite this fact the precautionary