The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-07-12
WALL STREET NOTES

u Il ( u .5gr I, u el
NEW YORK, July t1.--odds Ok three
to ono against Bryan were quoted to-
day, but It Is doubtful II any bets were
made on that basis. Several traders
said they had money to lay on the
Democratic candidate on those terms,
but that the other side seemed to be
shy when It came to entering into nm
actual wager. Individuals who were
mentioned as having offered to take
the Taft side In the betting, when ap-
preached, said there must be some mis-
take; that they had merely heard OF
money to BIO laid at three to one, but
their memory especially was bad In
respect to names. or when names were
given further inquiry led to no better
results. The Taft money was very
elusive.
The bulls. who few days ago en-
dcnvorcd to arouse Interest In the mar
ket with the argument that Bryan had
mo earthly show" changed their key
note to-day, and said that the Nebras-
kan had become more conservative
than ut the time when he last ran
FOR the presidency; talked OF the abb
Hcnce OF strong disapproval OF the
choice In the London newspapers. and
wound up by asserting that between
the policies OF the Democratic notni-
nee and the present occupant OF the
White House. the difference was In
favor OF the nspirant.
The traders we're not convinced by
this argument. IF this view had been
taken at first" one Of them said. I've
might by this time have come to ac-
cept It in part. but as we were urged
one day to buy stocks hcca,,se-
Bryan was sure to DO defca ted. lind ure
~ te.,.,
no difference whether he is elected or
not, we cannot help thinking that the
object Is to induce US to buy in order
that those who are 80 free with their
advice may have an opportunity to
load lis up with their stocks"
That other traders reasoned the
same way was fairly evident from the
fact that they were sellers instead Of
buyers although their comment went
no further than that. the election would
not be a walkoyer.
The usaul comment OF railroad off,
|.cials on the earnings Of the roads Is
that they "can find nothing to get
enthusiastic over" This has In many
places been accepted as equivalent to
official assurances that no Improve
ment can be noticed in the tendency OF
gross earnings as compared with q
month or two ago.
But It does not mean that. 1t should
be interpreted as an assurance that
theer is Improvement, but that It Is
slow and gives little ground for hope
that within a few weeks the gross
earnings will return to last years VOL
ume. Tho weekly returns for the for
ty-three roads which Erenderi reports
weekly show that the saperage o decrease
was heaviest at the end of April. and
has been steadily diminishing since.
At Its maximum It was 23.bi per cent.
This was In the last week of April.
For successive weeks since that time
1t has been:
First week OF May, 21.o7 per cent;
second week OF May 2l.70; third week
of May. 1880: fourth week OF May.
1858; first week of June. 1880; second
week of June. 1881; third week of
June, 1886: fourth week of June, with
few minor roads yet to be heard
from, 1910. Tie fourth week OF May.
period Of ten days including two
Sundays. should be omitted from the
comparison for the reason that there
was one business day less than in the
same period year ago.
With this exception. decreases have
been practically uniform for two cal J.
endar months. despite foods and vari-
Gus adverse factors, and the decreaEe
has now got down to the smallest per-
centage shown by any week since the
first week OF April.
Canada's idea OF big wheat crop
seems to be one for which 1t will be
Impossible to get enough Irvine to bind