Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-01-02
THE 1905 OUTLOOK

AOSL We lOI6SI ludC CuSoO dAO
glorious times to live in, and lest we
give heed to calamity howlers and
demagogues who would, for one rea-
son or another, like to create dissatis-
faction with existing things, it is we'll
to ponder such things as commercial
reports and the views of expert observ-
ers of Industrial conditions. When
these reports and views are unbiased
by any political prejudice they are all
of a most optimistic nature. Brad
streets Review for the current week
is a good instance 1t makes only a
review of 1905 but a glance into the
future, and for 1906 the prophecy is a
most encouraging one. 1t is worth
reading:
Nineteen hundred and five was a
year of almost boundless activity in
trade, industry and speculation. It
was a period of rich rewards to agri-
culture, though not of uniformly rec
ord yields; of abundance of employ
ment for labor and of very few serious
strikes; Of building and constructive
activity in all lines; Of enormously en-
strikingly small failure damage, con-
sidering the immense business done.
and the unprecedented number en-
gagged therein. That it was, on the
whole, year of heavily increased pub
lie purchasing power seems certain, in
view of the fact that commodity prices
were maintained at record high lev
els. 1t was year of peace in national
affairs and the country certainly has
no cause to regret the efforts of it's
highest officer to bring peace to war
ring sister nations. While spared the
social unrest visible in some foreign
nations, it may be said with some COM
fort that 1t was period of moral
awakening likely to be productive of
much good to the nation, because Of
the pitiless arrangements of dishonest
financial and political practices in the
court of public opinion. The multitude
of records broken shows that new
guideposts have, indeed been set up.
"If satisfaction with the past and
confidence in the future are at all re-
liable guides, 1906 is likely to equal,
if indeed it does not surpass, the year
drawing to a close. The volume Of
orders booked ahead exceeds any pre-
vious year in the country's history and
high prices as yet seem to exercise
no effect upon consumptive demand.
Iron and steel Of all kinds are heavily
sold ahead, as are also shoes, cotton
and wooden goods, lumber, hardware
and a myriad of other products.
Wheat enters the winter in excellent
condition and with an enlarged area.
Predictions as to 1906 building are ev-
en- more sanguine than year ago. In
any discussion of general business
prospects the sentimental effect of pos
sible stock market unsettlements Is
not to be lost sight Of That barom-
eter of future trade has SO far risen
triumphantly superior to insurance
scandals, impending rate legislation,
trust and rebate prosecutions, revela-
lions of some dishonest banking meth
DDS, high money, and the effect upon
foreign markets Of the Russian col
lapse. 1t is however, still too early
to Judge of the effect upon our trade
OF events in that apparently disinteg-
rating monarchy. 1t is question
whether our gains in grain exports
will not much more than Offset our
losses in cotton. 1t is, perhaps too
early also to forecast the effects Of
the pushing to the front by labor or
CARNATIONS of the demand for union
recognition in the coal and other
trades. 1t would seem as if the pre-
eminent necessity in 1906 should be
conservatism. particularly in labor
matters and in financial affairs gener-
ally"
Anyway, when Chicago is called the
city Of strikes, her people can point to
Moscow, st. Petersburg, Odessa. LODI
or Warsaw and find worse condition
every time.