The Washington times., 1906-12-30
KEYNOTE Of 1906
WAS PROSPERITY
All Old Records Smashed
in Every Line of
Business.
A VERY REMARKABLE YEAR
Outlook for 1907 Is Favorable and Al
ready Orders Are Booked
Months Ahead.

Bradstrects says. Nineteen hundred
and six was very remarkable year.
And yet this characterize ton appears
incomplete in view of the fact that old
records were retired and new ones set
up, in the disproving of old proverbs,
and the predictions that 1906 was 50
favorable that better results were
hardly to be expected the following
year. Not the least remarkable feature,
too, was the fact that tue apparent
drawbacks-and there were a number
did not retard the onward movement.
and the course of events, commercial.
Industrial, and financial, viewed from
the vantage ground OF achieved results,
was grand triumphant march OF pro
gress.
Concisley stated. 1905 saw very favor
able crop yields, a record output OF
cereals; close 10 highest yields and rec
ord values of other farm products, uu-
pTecedented activity III all kinds of
mining except coal. enormous outputs
Of precious metals. land speculation
assumed enormous proportions, build
ing activity surprising the wonderful
record OF 1906 Unprecedented totals OF
foreign trade. an unparalleled immigra-
tioni surprising totals of clearings and
and labor scarce as never before: a
record volume of the circulating medium
-money-prOving altogether Inadequate
Tor business purposes, and finally, and
what is. perhaps. the most remarkable
development OF all. the reaching, in a
time of profound worlds peace, of a
wartime level OF prices of commodities
without the slightest apparent effect
upon demand. which. throughout the
year, pressed houy upon supply and
caused from the beginning Of the year
70 its close general complaints of the
backw. I'd deliveries Of goods.
After even "a cursory review OF The re-
suits. indeed. one is impressed with the
inadequacy of adjectives To give fun
impression to the wonderful develop
ment of the year now drawing 10 a
close.
Prosperity beyond precedent IN 1896
and the high standards thereby estab-
lished makes prediction as 10 1907 Pc
culiarly difficult. il may be said. how
ever. thaJ the outlook for next year is
very favorable. Probably never before
was the volume OF future business
booked SO large. From three 90 nine
months orders ahead are reported by
manufacturers. and wholesalers and
jObbers have been active as never be-
fore on spring business. Perhaps the
heaviest future business done in any
line has been that booked ia iron and
steel in all its forms All sections Of
the community seem 10 be prosperous
and spending more freely than ove~ i,e-
fore. Three features with a bearing
upon the future are labor. prices. and
money Scarcity of the first. thereby
favorins further inslsteut demands, and
the higher tendency Of the second, may
push matters to a point where prOduc-
uou and consumption alike might be
checked. The strain iu money! world
wide condition, perhaps but one felt
here most, because prosperity has been
SO prouounced-seems to have so far
only brought q small measure OF con-
serVatism. In the absence OF now un-
toFeseeu happening. a very large. If
not record years business seems within
reach. modified as 10 may be BY the eff
IeCJs or the forces above named and the
cr0n DEVELOPMENT of 1907.