The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-02-01
TO BE A FAT YEAR
IS WHAT BUSINESS EXPERTS THINK
 OF 1905.
They Are Very Hopeful over the COun- try's situation-splendid
 Crop Basis of PrOnnerttY.

What will the year 1905 bring to the people of the United States in the way of material prosperity or diversity? The past year has been one of uncertainty. sinking at times to depression, in the business and financial world. Is the coming year to be a repetition of the earlier months of 1904. or will the in- proved conditions which have charac- terized its close continue?
 In order to discover the outlook from the standpoint of the men who are in a position to observe industrial and finan- ciaI events. Public Opinion" has written to number of the highest au- thorities in the world of business and
 finance, asking the question, ''win prosperity continue%
 The rerAy of MT. Henry Clews, the prominent New York banker, is hlled
 with confidence that i've are on the eve of a great business movement which will insure general prosperity during the coming year." l "The nearly unanimous indorsement of the present administration indicates beyond doubt that capital and labor both feel certain that the party in power is worthy of trust and confidence, and new enterprises will be launched and old ones will be willing to take greater risks. The steel and iron in- terests are particularly hopeful and the building trade gives promise of great activity.
 Our farmers and cotton growers are prosperous. and will spend their sur plus for some luxuries and needed ma chinery, will paint their fences and barns and make visits to the cities and occasionally patronize the theatre and circus. These matters seem trifing, bat kr Irn tHa e~~k, which insures profit to general trade as 1t keeps dollars moving. Take it all in all, I believe in my country and It's people, and can foresee great activity in all branches, up to the next crop at least"
 AgricuIture and Prosperity.
 "The agricultural wealth of the coun-! try, as shown in the great crops of re- cent years, gives MT. George McRey- holds. the acting President of The Chi cago Board of Trade, hope for the fu- ture. He says:
 'The crops of the country constitute the basis of our financial and commer- cial welfare. Those of 1904 are unprec- dented both in volume and farm value. From the able report of the Department of Agriculture we learn that the crop of corn aggregates 2,4O0, 1000, ,000 bushels, equal in value to that of hay and wheat combined; the crop of wheat aggregates $50, 100000 bushels, and although this is less than that of any year since 1900, its farm value is the highest since 1881, save in 1902, the oat crop was never so large by 60.00O.000 bushels; potatoes and barley reached their highest pro- duction in 1904
 '"The Secretary states that farmers hens now produce 1,666, ,0O0, ,O00 dozens of eggs, and at the high average price of the year the hens, during their busy season, lay enough eggs in a single month to pay the years interest on the national debt; the crop Of rice promises yield of 900,00O,00 pounds--300, ,000,- 900 pounds more than any previous crop; the cotton crop aggregates more than 100000 bales, and Is valued for lint and seed at $500. 900. The Sec retary estimates value of products of the farms during the year t9o4 at sl.A | 300, ,000,0 ,000. after excluding the value of farm products fed to live stock, in order to avoid duplication of values. With such a magnificent showing as this, with assured peace at home and abroad, with the remarkable confidence entertained by the great body of the people in the administration of Presi- dent Roosevelt--conhdence which has produced practical unanimity, in all
 sections of the land, favorlng industrial activity-we may reasonably anticipate
 that the record of the year 1905 will
 prove most gratifying"
 In reply to the request for a forecast
 of 1905, Secretary Shaw refused to add anything to his recent speech before
 the New York Chamber of Commerce,
 in which he said:
 Money is now plenty and cheap, crops
 arc nrfcea unod Iohnr AaAa
 ready employment, furnaces are aglow, and hope is buoyant. If clouds exist
 they do not show above the horizon.
 Remembering the recent past, our peo-
 pie are not likely to be seen again to
 lose their boise or to assume that the ascending scale of prices has no limit of safety.
 If hopeful conservatism shall pos-
 sess the country there is no visible req
 son to doubt that we are approaching
 period not of imitation, but of un-
 equaled growth and sound and safe de- velopment. It is necessary in this presence to warn against reckless op- timism or timid pessimism. That we may be saved from either of these ex- tremes should be our prayer, our aim and our constant and united endeavor.' .'' Mir. Sam B. Sweet. the President of the Indianapolis Board of Trade, sees
 no cause for anything but the most pronounced optimism regarding the fu- ture:
 Tn my opinion there will be no de- crease in business properity in the year 1905. as compared with the years 1904 and 1903. The late Presidential cleo tion has fixed. at least for four years, the financial status of the country and assures a continued activity in manu- featuring and commercial circles. The corn crop of the year 1904, which will largely be marketed in the year 1905. Is of exceptional quality and quantity. Our farming community is in better