The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-08
FEW SPEC|ALT|ES
 LIMIT INTEREST These Serve to Hold the Stock
 Market Firm MESSAGE GIVES STRENGHT I Professional Traders Base Most of Their Buying on Its Conservative Tone-Monsy Situation Is
 More Cheerful.

New York, December All the interest in today's stock market up to the last hour, was confined 10 the movement of a few specialties. These served to hold the market firm, despite the dullness of the trading elsewhere in the list, until the time of the publication of the President S message. Immediately upon the appear ance of that document, the market took on strength and animation and advanced comprehensvely. The railroad list which had lain inert up to that time, came into the upward movement and the prominent active leaders made gains of point or more. St. Paul and Missouri Pacific gained nearly two points.
 The professional traders who did most of the buying of stocks, gave as their motive their opinion of the conservative tone of the Presidents message in the treatment of the problem of corporation regulations. It was not until late in the day that the extent of the engagements or gold in London for import became known. These footed up oyer $1, 400. ooO For the greater part of the day the active speculation in Amalgamated Copper pre- dominated the whole market The buv- Ing of this stock was professedIy based upon the so-called fair trial bill in Mon tana, but the personality of the brokers employed in the buying also had a strong elect upon sentiment, being taken to snow revival of activity on the part of interests long dormant in that stock me unremitting profit taking in Brook iyn transit, which went on throuchout the day, was highly significant in the same relation Besides these two stocks, - O. steel preferred made up the greater part or the remaining activity, but it made little headway toward advance uhtil the final upward movement. The speculative sentiment at the opening was apprehenslve of a reaction after the ac- 'loh or the market at the end of last week me heavy tone of the London Iharket helped to make the early dealings uheer'aln. The pressure of profit taking Tn the general list proved light, however, and gave color to the suppostion that the heaVy demands last week to cover. had been pretty effectually taken advantage or to realize profits by the longs. thus leaving speculative commitments largely reduced for both accounts. and the mar ket comparatively free for fresh initia- tive
 The confident tone of the annual renort q the sale passing of the fall money crisis. mad cheering effect on sentiment Call money was appreciably easier in tone. the highest rate being 61a per cent, with later drop to almost nominal rates. A reaction in the cotton market was also regarded with satisfaction. Heavy ship ments of currency to New Orleans on Saturday and on today were neutralized in their effect by the renewed gold import movement. The reports to hand of rail road earnings. cannot be said to have been fostered in the advance the propor- ton of decrease both of gross and net earnings showing an unmistakabe grow Ing tendency Amalgamated rose to j points over Saturday and made the close firm.
 SBonds weak and steady. Total sales par value. $2,0000O0.
 U. s. bonds were unchanged on the last call