Henderson daily dispatch., 1936-04-17
Business Outlook Good,
Especially For Midwest

CONTINUED from Page One.)
pie feel that the current improvement
| in Canada may not be solid. Canada
has not had any AAA or MIRA; but
Canada does have an unbalanced bud
get.
Middle West Again Leads.
In the Middle West, business is COM
ing along in good shape, Sentiment
there is very optimistic. From Detroit
my observer writes: "The Middle
West seems to be leading the business
parade again this year. Detroit should
be called the Recovery City," Mich
igan has made big advances toward
prosperity with the rebuilding of the
motor industry. Nearly as many au-
tomobiles were produced last year as
in the boom days TO 1928 and 1929.
The banking picture in that state has
been cleared up. Real estate prices are
strengthening. Rents are advancing
and vacancies of all kinds are drop
ping. Building is rising fast and retail
trade is brisk.
Current motor schedules are only
slightly above the levels of a year ago
the figures being around $4,000 per
week against III, 900 last April How
ever, total output for the year should
be about 10 per cent above the 1895
level, particularly with the bonus pay
ment due in June. Because Michigan
has come out of the depression in
such sound condition, it seems as if
its people would be loyal to President
Roosevelt. It is poor policy to "kick
n no 10 ;oL,
up" In Detroit, we hear more anti
New Deal talk among the working
mer than in any city outside of New
England. Hence, we are putting Mich
igan down definitely for the Repub-
leans in November.
Ohio and Indiana.
Much the same situation exists in
Ohio and Indiana. Business in most of
the small communities of these states
is showing a good gain over a year
ago. The myriad small industrial
plants throughout this region look
busy and are producing more goods.
The heavy industries all over the
country are making progress and their
gains are reflected in activity in the
Middlewestern cities. Retail trade was
handicapped in January and February
but the Easter business more than
made up for those slow months. Build
ing is coming along well in the Cen
trail West; in fact "boomlet" is I'm
der way in small one-family houses
around the suburbs of some of the lar
ger cities.
"The general feeling among those
whom we contact is that Ohio and In
diana will be against the administra-
tion in November if the present trend
continues" A year ago when 1 return
ed from a long journey through the
nation, 1 wrote something about Chi
cago's possibilities of becoming the
biggest city in the United States by
1865. Hence, I was interested to re-
ceive the following remarks from nv
colleague in Chicago: 1--WE are often
so close to the trees that we cannot
see the forest. An inspection tour
such as this gives a person much
needed irrespective"
Watch Chicago.
Looking at the long-range growth
Of America, I cannot see ANYTHING but
the Middle West becoming the center
of the United States. It should lead
politically, financially, industriallv
and agriculturally. Chicago may be
the metropolis of America in thirty
years. Chicago has tremendous sour
ces of raw materials nearby, an album
dant, intelligent labor supply, cheap
transportation and aggressive manage
ment. Only spiritual awakening is
needed to enable Chicago to fulfill nv
forecast"
Certainly this section has wonderful
recuperative powers. Only three years
ago the City of Chicago could not
meet its payroll Today it's bonds are
selling above par and the expansion of
the late twenties is beginning again.
The Chicago real estate situation is
fairly well cleaned up. New home
building is one to two times the vol
ume Of year ago. In Chicago, as in
most other cities, the administration
is giving real estate a lift. Trade in.
Chicago is better than year ago and
collections are steadily improving