Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-09
Prices Of Stocks Showed Slight I'm
provement Today.
RESULT OF BETTING ON EARNWGS
Little Permanent Improvement Ex-
pected at Present.
GENERAL MARKET REPORTS


Special Dispatch to The Evening Star
NEW YORK, November a.-The presence
OF some commission orders and moderate
Improvement in London had beneficial
influence on prices this morning The
short interest was forced to cover I'm many
instances and gains varying from I to per
cent followed. During the opening hour,
efforts were made to renew the decline and
prices were offered down for a time with
some success. There was some decrease
In the volume of such offerings, however
and this fact WAS taken to Indicate a wan
ing confidence In the propriety of extend
ing the short account.
Accordingly several of the more prom
inent room traders instituted buying
movement into which the short interest
was 10 be forced as allies. and as is usual
with concerted plans, success of moderate
proportions followed
There was no radical change in serti-
n'eht' however. and rally of a few points
was all that conservative Judges were will
ing to predict. The movement had n ..n-
dency to increase the dullness and this ac-
ton, next 10 absolute Improvement is the
most favorable of all the possibilities Of
such complex situation.
Waiting for Congress to convene and TO
outline Its winters work will be a con-
splcuous feature of the next few weeks.
During the afternoon the question OF
earnings attracted attention. and the uni
1ormity OF the increases was taken to in
sure important dividend developments in
the near future.
Wagers varying from $500 to 1000 were
offered that Northwestern, Burlington and
Rock Island would increase their next dis
bursement to shareholders. Strangely
enough. this offer to wager money on what
In well-fnformed circles has been consid-
cred foregone conclusion had per-
ceptiDle influence on prices. During the
most demoralized periods of the recent de-
cline earnings came in on scale increas-
ing profitable returns to shareholders. yet
their significance was totally ignored. Com
ment on the spectacle OF decreasing prices
and increasing value was made without
adding fraction TO the shares directly
concerned.
The situation was scarcely normal then,
and Its momentary return to reason today
does not insure sustained Improvement.
III the larger operators are forced to
cover. as the opposition now propose.
higher prices will follow. but the invest
ment public will not. in all probability, buy
extensively at the new level
A traders market within a radius of or
3 per cent should be the outcome of these
conditions until after the new year.
The sugar decision now under considera-
ton by the Treasury Department is likely
to be attended by important stock market
results. Should the evidence fail to sustain
the contention that the Netherlands gov
eminent is paying a concealed export
bounty on exported sugars, all continental
sugars would be shipped from those ports
to the manifest injury of the American
companies.
The only offset to this influence would be
the fact that the home company is i'm COM
plete and almost absolute control of the
field. The activity in the stock Of late in
dicatea very clearly the trade opinion Of
the significance of the impending order.
During the last hour the market vas dull
at fractional net gains for tire day in many
Instances.