The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1898-03-26
BEATING THE RECORD.
The Tide of business This Year II
Much Higher Than IL Was
In 1902.

In a business sense the country ha,
advanced to position hitherto un'
touched. Along until month or two
ago the year 1892 represented the top OF
the industrial wave. Immediately after.
ward the tide sharply fell and for two
or three years it was at the ebb stage
In 1895 the tide again began to rise, but
it was checked and sent downward by
the Bryanite menace in 1896. The down
ward lurch was stopped by the honest
money victory in the latter part of that
year. A slow but perceptible rise in the
business tide began a year ago, when
! that party resumed power. The move
ment gained momentum a little over
| half year ago, when the party's in
dustrial legislation went into opera
ton. Since the beginning of the pres
cnt year it has reached higher mark
than was ever before touched.
This is the story which present condi-
tions tell. In bank clearances in the
country at large February figures beat
those of that month in 1892 to the eX-
tent of six per cent. 1t did this, too, in
the face of the fact that that month OF
1892 had the largest clearings ever
scored in any February in the country's
history, and in the face of the further
fact that February in 1892 had one more
business day than IL had in 1898 Rail
road earnings at the present time are
beating all former figures, and the ten
dency, as in bank clearings, continues
upward. Merchandise exports exceed
imports to a greater extent than ever
before at this time of the year. Iron pro-
duction for two months past has been
at the largest figures ever reached. The
immense totals OF the railroad earnings
mean more than appears on the surface,
for prices OF transportation are lower
than they were before the panic of 1892
occurred. The same fact as regards
many staple articles renders the in
crease in bank transactions, as indicat-
ed by clcarances, especially significant.
Seldom at this season does gold i'm.
portation take place. a few hundred
thousand dollars came in in this month
in 1896 and 1897. but for several previ.
Gus years the tide was in the other di-
rcction. Over S6,000.000 of gold, how
ever, has recently started for this coun-
try, and some of it has arrived. There
is no special need for this inflow. for
the banks are. on the whole, better sup.
Piled with this metal than they ever
were in the past, and the treasury's
fund. which has just crossed the $l6S,-
100000 mark, is at higher line than
was reached before since the middle OF
1890. 70 keep up the favorable exhibit
which is made in all directions the rev.
cnue is expanding al a rate not dreamed
Of by even the most hopeful of the Ding
ley acts Trainers at the outset. Febru-
airy, 1898. showed handsome surplus.
which is the first time in several years
that receipts in that month exceeded eX.
penditures. As the tendency of the rev.
anuc has been steadily upward ever
since the Dingley law went into effect,
the chances are that it will reach n
much higher line than has yet been
SURPRISES instead of deficits |
will probably be the rule hereafter. ex.
'ept as war preparations may swell the
As 1892 has been sur.
passed in bank cleariDgs and railroad |
earnings, 1879, the year in which the
relative business activity and prosper
ty of the past reached its high-water
mark. will probably soon be left behind. |
st. Louis Globe Democrat