The age-herald., 1901-01-06
GE NERAL REVIEW
 FOR TIE YEAR 19OO

view of the trade and trade conditions in the United States in the year 1900 says Business men generally will look back over the business record of 1900 with much
 more interest, and devote much more care
 full attention to study of the trade and
 business conditions of the closing year of
 the century than they have ever given to
 backward glance at the business of any
 previous year. There are many reasons for
 this.
 There are many reasons why thorough
 knowledge of what has taken place during the year, and thorough understanding of
 why it has taken place, is necessary to ev- cry business man who is successful. In some respects that business of 1899 was greater than that of 19004the entire turn | over of that year somewhat larger, but | in many respects 1900 has been the most | important year in the business history of the country.
 It has seen firmly established trade con- ditions, which had heretofore been experi-
 ments; 1t has seen a commercial expansion that has placed the United States at the very front among the exporting nations of | the world; it has seen complete financial emancipation from Europe, and in all lines l of trade there has been a conservatism,
 
 makes every figure one of value upon which | business calculations for tine future may be | safely based.
 Export Trade. The export business of this country for | the year has been unprecedented. The eX- | ports of domestic merchandise for the year amount to, in round figures, $1,4i0,0000 900. | This will be at least $6,0O0,0O0 in excess of the exports of the United Kingdom. This | is the second time in history that the ex- | ports of this country were greater than | those of Great Britain. In 1898 the United | States was also ahead
 | In the face of the fact that trade condi- | tions abroad have mot been all that could | be desired the exports for 1890 were 15 per | cent. greater than in 1S99 This has not been | because of any increased foreign demand | for our breadstuffs, for there was de- | crease in this line of exports. | The wonderful increase has been in the | foreign takings of American cotton, and the | constantly increasing demand for the prod | ucts of American factories. The cotton | exports showed an increase of 64 per cent. over those of 1899, and in every line of 1 manufa ctured goods a very heavy Increase l was shown.
 That the United States is rapidly becom- | ing a self-supporting nation Is shown by | the fact that against a 15 per cent increase | in exports there Is an increase of only 4 | per cent. in imports The imports of the | year represented a money value of $780, | 000,00
 Metals.
 The consumption of iron by mills and l foundries was enormous, during the latter part of 1899 and the first part of 1900 reach ing in fact the 15,O00,000 tons limit, and as | there was some doubt that the demand l could be met, prices rose. The furnaces. | however-many dismantled plants being re-
 newed and new ones blowing in-were equal | No +la nd Inn Q ad hiphar | prices. Production proved fully equal to l consumption, official statistics for the first
 six months of 1900 being 7,642569 tons, or 1 2S GOO tons over the 100000 tons require
 ment In fact, with consumption curtailed l by high prices for the finished product, the l large output of pig was a menace, and l reaction set in during April which contin- l ued during the summer with heavy drops 1 in the prices current, but the crisis was 1 passed successfully, due to wise corrective | measures, and once more mills and foun- dries are melting heavily. firm and con- | fident tone prevails with an increased vol | ume of business, although the usual Hull l at the close of the year is in evidence. The | demand for copper has been enormous near | ly all the year, exports have been heavy. | production has increased but little, and | prices have f1uctuated within narrow lim- l its Tin has been very cratic; at the mer- l cy of speculators.
 Iron and Steel. It is an established fact in the business world that the best of all indications of the l general condition of the country is shown | by the iron and steel business. When there | Is general prosperity the first demand is for manufactured iron and steel, all classes of business will feel the effects of good | times in their turn, but the iron and steel | business Is the first to be affected by either good times or bad.
 ! The history of the iron and steel trade l during 1900 Is a most interesting one. Two l months ago nc one would have believed | that the record of 1899 would have been | equalled in the output of steel, and yet the | wonderful demand of the last few months | of the year was so great that the total out. l put for the year showed an increase of l about 100000 tons, and the mills start the ] new year with more orders for finished l steel than they had at the beginning of l 1900.
 | The companies in the iron and steel busi- | ness in this country mad at the close of the l year a capitalization of $1, 450,O ,Oo0,00O and | this Is by far the most important industry the consolidation movement has effected. l At the beginning of the year the industry | was at the top wave of prosperity, but the | arbitrary maintenance of exorbitant prices | had its natural effect, and there came a | slump which forced a break, and in. July
 prices reached their lowest point Low l prices brought an immense business, both
 domestic and foreign, the reaction followed,
 and the close of the year saw the business
 in a better shape than it had been att any other time during tine year, and with @ | practically 1imitless business before it in | case the manufacturers themselves do not
 see fit to conf1ne it by forcing prices to g.
 point where they must stop consumption.
 Textile Industry.
 In the textile industry the year has been | a remarkable one in many ways. In the | woolen business 1t has been a fair average l year. and during the latter pant of the | year the woolen mdn men have had no | cause for complaint. The backward sea-
 sons and the increasing use of wool substi-