Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 September 1917 — BUSINESS WILL BE GOOD [ARTICLE]

BUSINESS WILL BE GOOD

What is business? Why, it is simply the people with their wants and needs. Business is not begotten in < the bank, the countingroom, or the office; these are but the-,, effects of business —the response to the cause. The man who makes business is likely to be in the shop, or on the farm, in the factory, or at the forge. He is toiling and imoiling to get a good week's pay when Saturday night comes so that he can purchase some groceries and dry goods, and possibly go to the moving picture show or theater, or, better yet, put something liberal into the contribution box at church on Sunday, or take a week-end trip with his car. iHe may have enough in that week’s pay to purchase his wife or his daughter a new dress. He may be able to save up a few dollars from that week’s pay for a home of his own, or for an automobile. And all this -makes business,. In fact, it is about all there is to business—this matter of food and clothing and housing, and educating and uplifting. Take away these and there would be no business. In 1 countries where they exist in the 1 most meagre and- pdhurious fashion only, there is little business. Of course, business may be anticipated. That is to say, a man' may 'produce something like an! automobile, a piano, a plow, a suit ! of clothing—anything that the peo-i pie need or desire—with a view that the prospects are favorable for its disposal and consumption. But it is as important to he assured that the people have the means or

power to consume it as it is that they will have the will or desire to consume it. The people always have wants and the desire to grati-j fy them, but they do not always have the means to gratify them. The off-hand remark: “Let business go on as usual,” has little effect one way or another. It will j go on without command, and it will not be stayed by indifference. The only question as to business is whether you as a business man are going to get it, or whether yqu will' allow it to pass on to some one else. That it will be done by some one goes' without saying. All the people are working and consequently all are spending. There has not been a time for many years when the conditions for good business were more favorable than now. Moreover, the thing that is absolutely necessary to the execution of business —money, a medium of exchange—exists in about the same volume that it ever has. It is true it has largely changed hands, but it still; exists, and this change has taken it from the rich, whose wants and needs were already well supplied, and put it into the hands of the former poor whose wants and needs are not supplied, hut who will liberally supply themselves now that they have the means. During these abnormal times of war the production of things that people need has by necessity been largely curtailed, in order to give place to the production of the things needed for war. In addition to this, a large portion of the young and able-ibodied producers of the civilized world has been withdrawn from productive channels. They are now consumers only. Thus it may be '-easily seen how pressing the demand must be for things the people want and need, and who likewise have the means j to purchase tjiem. j How can business fail to "be good then, and whether or not the war ends soon or continues long? Of course, lack of confidence and of optimism would delay production I somewhat, but as far as we can see, these qualities strongly exist among business men. Producers are handicapped by the scarcity of ! raw material and by the pressing j necessity of making war supplies, I but the need of general production lis imperative and it will continue Ito exist for some years or until j the demand has been jnet. This government is likely to spend on account of the present war anywhere from $10,000,000,000 to $20,000,000,000. and possibly much more. Some of this- money will go abroad, but mighty little, j Most of the loans to foreign govI ernments are in the ,for»mi of credits; the cash itself will remain right here. Probably three-fourths of this stupendous sum will be filtered along down among the common j people, and there it will mostly reI main until it -is spent Jot comiforts j and luxuries —the things that keep | our mills and factories and- stores [and farms full of activity. And this is what makes business.