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Show MISERS OF COTTON PROSPERJ'J SOUTH W. D. Simmons Says Conditions Con-ditions Are Better Than Last Year. FAVORS NEW FIELD Thinks That U. S. Should Cultivate South American Ameri-can Republics. Recuperation of the south from its cotton cot-ton panic of last season Is about the best business improvement the country has had this year, declared W. D. Simmons, Sim-mons, president of the Simmons Hardware Hard-ware company of St. Louis, at the Hotel Utah last night. Mr. Simmons Is a son of E. C. Simmons, Sim-mons, founder of the company, which is now the largest wholesale hardware concern con-cern in the world. Mr. Simmons the elder is still very active in the company, eaid his son, although he lias placed "the boys" in direct cliarge. W. D. Simmons arrived in the city yes-terdav, yes-terdav, accompanied by Mrs. Simmons and 'their three children. They have been touring tiie west for a month and are now on their way home. After "seeing" "see-ing" Salt Lake City they will go to St. Louis. "I've been on, a vacation and I may be a little out of touch with business," said Mr. Simmons last night, "but 1 know-that know-that our main house in St. Louis did more business during the month of July, than in any previous July in its history. South Is Prosperous. "The St. Louts house handles a great, business in the south, and our reports indicate in-dicate that that section of the country is prosperous this year, in sharp contrast to what it was a year ago. You remember remem-ber the 'buy-a-bale-of-cotton' cry last vear. "The south has 'come back' this year, and the people in that section did it by economizing. Thev -may not get as much for their cotton as they have in the past, but it didn't cost as much to raise it. The cotton growers would have said that it couldn't be done, but necessity made them do It. "The cotton growers had always done business largelv on credit, of which they had a great deal. After their trouble In ! marketing their cotton last year and with : the situation doubtful this year. the bankers and merchants of the south cut down on the plantation owners' credit. They did it because they could not afford themselves to carry them. As a result the south has been exceedingly economical. economi-cal. Another stipulation of the bankers and merchants was that the cotton growers grow-ers devote a part of their land to the raising rais-ing of grains and grasses, so they would not be dependent upon others for them. Because They Had To. "As I said, the cotton growers at first said that it couldn't be done but they were forced to do it and they did it. They cut out all the 'extras, they economized econo-mized because there was no other way out, and this year the south is in good shape. "Other sections of the country are in good condition, too. Some sections would ! actually be booming at any other time but this, so favorable are local conditions. condi-tions. But there is no denying the fact that the European war and the possibility of the United States becoming Involved in some way is making business cautious everywhere. "For instance, buyers of all kinds of goods' are not placing as large annual orders or-ders as they formerly did. They are or- ' dering for their actual needs and then, as business Increases, they are putting in ; special rush orders to the wholesalers and manufacturers. These rush special orders or-ders have created a new problem In the : wholesale trade, but it has its advantage. i Tiie advantage is this: Merchants are not over-buving over-stocking. In the past wholesalers have had most of their losses because of merchants, honest enough, to be sure, went under because they loaded up on more goods than they could turn over." Member "of Committee. Mr. Simmons paid that his company's branches in Toledo, Minneapolis and Philadelphia reported business conditions in their respective territories good. The hardware magnare Is very much interested in the matter of increasing business and social relations of the United Unit-ed States with tho countries of South America. le was appointed by Secretary Secre-tary McAdoo to the general South American Amer-ican committee, whirh is looking into the southern part of tills hemisphere. This committee was divided up Into sub-committees of seven members or more ali business men. bankers or students of economics which were to investigate tiie individual republics of the south. Mr. Simmons was assigned to the committee on Colombia. He regards that country as , a most interesting and important one. Mr. Simmons is also a member of the board of governors of India house, of New York. Tills Is an organization of American manufacturers and exporters which has for its purpose the promotion of trade with South America and other foreign countries. j Favors Southern Trade. "Muh has been said and written lately late-ly about our getting the trade of South America while this war is on," said Mr, Simmons. "The general impression ee'-ms to prevail that it will he a hard Job. because Americana can't do business the way the South Americans do, and bo-cause bo-cause they won't adopt oi;r way. Thnt i an exaggera tlon. Our house hnn ben doing business with S'ut ii A merfr;i n countries for years. It is Jargr-ly a matter mat-ter of getting acquainted. Conditions are different in every republic In tho south. Those conditions most be studied. "The South Americans have been doing do-ing business on long credits. They have paid too much for their goods, In many Instances, and bad to 1i;ivp long times In which to pay. Uorrdgn rapltnl inlrested In rnanv of their public and privnte enterprises en-terprises sfopprd going In with the outbreak out-break of the Kuropcan war. The South American countries now have to rely more on their own resources. They are building thf-mives ,P on their own ground now, mid wliPn thv do thev ran huv where they want rind get bettor pricen. We en n sell Hem goods wl t hoi it ho many commissions and charges to be added to the rost. . Hut to gel business in South Arnerlcfi, we ron't be short-sighted and too o,ui'k to tulip, an advantage. T recall an American wlm bad a good inll-rond inll-rond building concession in a South American republic. Oe.rmnn hurried over here and offered to buy lihn out, nt o profit. The American saw that quick pro! it and took It. The Herman got. the 1ol and stipulated that all the ni(erl;iK should he made In Germany and that Herman Roods should havi Ibe preference. T'mt A m erica n's desln; fr Ids profl t right awav lost Arnerb-an ma mi Ta cl u rers ail that the i,g undertaking meant." |