New Britain herald., 1928-02-11
THE, OBSER VER- Makes Random Ohserva4isas
 On the City ano lts People

| ence?"
 Fourth voice: Hello, everybody. All have to say s that Lee put mp game scrap and that I'm mighty glad to have won. Goodby."
 First voice: Station WXXX sign. ing Wait minute! Here's an . extra surprise. Ladies and gentlA- men of the radio audience. 1t gives me great pleasure to introduce to you His ExcelIency the President, Abraham Lincoln"
 Fifth voice: Four score and sev- en years ago our forefathers brought forth upon this continent . great ration"
 Yes. We used to think that the radio was an undisguised blessing, but now we are not 70 certain, Along about February. once every four years. it has been our habit in America for a hundred years or more to unlock the alibi clothes press and take out the faithful old ghost mantle labeled Presidential Year Bugaboo," and slip 1t over our heads and go about saying Boo" to each other.
 Merchants said "Boo!" to manu- lecturers. Manufacturers said "Boo!" to the producers of raw ma terials and to their fellow manufac- turers. Employers said "Boo!" to their workers, and the workers said "Boo" to the grocery man and the butcher.
 And so it went, round in a circle. Everybody said Boo! This is . presidential year-business will be off this year." Now there are always plenty of factors to make business sag bit without soaring it to death, but the curious fact is. says the Magazine of Business, that of the last ten presidential election years. covering a period of 70 years, in spite of all the booinR everybody could do. in six of these years business refused to sag from any cause for any con- siderable period, and in the other four years what sagging there was happens to have been due largely to deep-seated economic causes rather than to presidential politics. with the possible exception of 1896. when business actually did get a little frightened over free silver"
 Here is the record:
 1SSS-Average year. Started be- low normal, but, in spite of politics, gained steadily and closed above normal
 1S92-10 per cent above normal.
 1S96-Below normal, possibly partly due to Bryan's free silver" campaign. though the period of de- pression, of which this year formed a part. lasted over into the second year following.
 1900-An average year. Consider ably above normal in the early months; a little below at the years close.
 19o4-Below normal.
 190S-Started with carry-over from the depression of 1907, but improved later in the year in spite of it's being a presidential year.
 1912-Good year. Between s per cent and 10 per cent above normal.
 1916-A real boom year-averag- ing 10 per cent to IS per cent above normal.
 1920-Considerably above normal until last three months of year when postwar economic readjustment began.
 1924--Below normal during mid dle of year, recovering at close.
 Here's new idea for Hong dis tance" championships:
 Lawrence Kramer of 2Oc Thorni- ley street lays claim to having Christmas tree in his home which has lasted longer than any other in the city. The tree remains in the sun parlor of his nome decorated with the tinsel and ornaments put on it at Christmas and it Is in almost as good condition as 1t was when first set up.
 The tree was set up a few days be- fore Christmas and following a whim, MT. Kramer decided to allow it to remain until it shed it's needles and started to wilt. Up to the pres- ent time. the tree hasn't shed very much and it still presents glittering appearance to those who view 1t.
 The branches are still in place and have dropped only as they did when the weight of the trimmings was first put on them. Mr. Kramer in- tends to allow the tree to remain until it is found necessary to take it down.