The Washington times., 1911-02-19

/ steel, s,746,OOO: cotton manufactures,
A:@9S,On; fruits and oranges, -$I,S0GOCo;
wheat, S::,317, 900: typewriters; 81; ;a66 600:
roots and shoes, $l.262,0 and over
A,0o0,O0O coke and steel wire.
Ihere are those who believe that the
Supreme Court will hand down its deci-
slons in the trust cases tomorrow and
that the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion Will also settle the freight rate
question II they do, il would be rather
remarkable II the fluctuations in the
/ new York stock market were not ex-
| traordinary.
Inc latter will be far less important
man the former, although a. favorable
Gecision In both instances would un-
g9ouDtedIy give the stock market a won
derful impetus.
But the railroads Of the country have
demonstrated that they can go ahead
on the present rates. despite the great
increase IN expenses through the Yield
tns 70 the continuous demands of labor
Tor higher wages
Last January the earnings of the rail-
roaoS or the country showed a gross in
crease of Sl,36O,0OO or 231 per cent over
the corresponding month of fine previous
year Last year the January increase
was l9.3 per cent, a larger increase
than for any January since 1906.
Inc earnings for December showed an
increase over December, 1909, of 81, ,076,-
900 in gross and s., 175,OO0 net
This is an evidence of the steady in
crease in the business of the roads at
old rates. If the increases are sus-
tanned by the Interstate Commerce
Commission, and rumor has it that the
increases in the East and so per cent
in the West. the year ought to be an ex-
ceptfOnally good one for American
roads.
The Supreme Court has stood ad-
journed for three weeks and viii re-
convene tomorrow at high noon:.' II is
not that the justices have been va
cationing. but rather that they have
been working without interruption in
daily sessions in reaching a solution of
the trust cases and other important
matters before the court. The decisions;
in the trust cases have been awaited
Win great anxiety by Wall Street and
the business interests of the country
generally. The long wait between the
verdict of the lower court and the filing
of the opinions by the highest court
has in a great measure lessened the fear
OF the latter II is generally believed
that the decision of the ceurts while
it may necessitate some form of re-
organization OF the modern methods of
doing business will not be- so radical as
to produce any chaotic conditions but
II VIII OliCb HI SeCt1e- Lbe EOQ-
stitutionality and the status otherwise
of the Sherman -autt-tFUEt- law
That the decision viii affect"t,ae1 Aotting
companies having over 5000 subsidiary
institutions and representing $4,000, ,OOO.-
000 of capital, is evidence enough that
the great mass of investors will await
the all-important decisions with intense
interest. When the results become
known there. will certainly be a feeling
of relief. that the matter has been set.
tled,---- =
The feature in the news line in WashE
ington during the past week was the
purchase Of about 1000 shares of Na+
tional Metropolitan Bank stock By b
syndicate acting entirely in harmony
with the directors and executives of the
institution, setting at rest all reports
and rumors OF any possible merger of
this institution with any other bank, un-
less the Metropolitan dictates and con-
trols. The quieting of these rumorS
and the knowledge that such a trans
action would be made have advanced
the value of the bank shares in the
market over SIS share.
The local security market has been
just fairly active, with values showing
more or less strength.