Ashland Tidings

JUST A FEW STRAWS IN THE BUSINESS WIND.

If one stands in need of conviction on the question of business revival not merely promised but actual—he easily may find proof in the fact and sentiment as expressed in the press throughout the country. These expressions have to do with conditions as they exist, says the Portland Telegram.

For example, trade papers published in New York announce that in the New England textile and shoe factories the bookings for new business are increasing rapidly and promise to become almost unprecedented.

The Chamber of Commerce of the United States has prepared a statement of New England business conditions with those of a year ago, and that statement bears out the showing of the metropolitan trade papers.

In the steel region the Pittsburgh papers tell the same encouraging story. We quote the following as a sample, from the Pittsburgh Gazette-Times:

"Although it had been anticipated that the monthly statement of the United States Steel Corporation would show an increase of unfilled orders on the books, the actual developments are such as to produce bracing confidence in business prospects."

The Washington Herald takes note of the condition of the steel industry, the Philadelphia Ledger of railroad activity, as evinced by the placing of orders for rolling stock—and so it goes through the various sections of the country.

The best of all these signs is that the big industries—the mainstays of the great industrial centers—are in active preparation for a season's good business. That means that the confidence in business revival is stable, and that the resolve is to go to work and keep at work.

There is no good reason that anyone can perceive why the situation should be different from this. It has been pretty well demonstrated that there is nothing to be gained by calamity howling, and, really, one cannot indulge in that any longer without being ashamed of himself.