Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-12-18
THE BUSINESS FIELD,


1t iS notable that when some man
| of prominence in industry or finance
expresses pessimistic view Of future
business prospects that il brings out a
dozen optimistic denials from men of
high standing all over the country who
take issue and radically differ from the
pessimist. The pessimistic view is the
personal one: the optimistic attitude is
general and backed up with the argu-
ments that:
There has been substantial gain in
bank exchanges in all the leading cities
There has been icreased activity in the
iron and steel trade. Prices for steel
products steel rails excepted have
been unusually low. but there is now
tendency to firmness The November
report of the United States steel cor
poration showed the largest increase in
untitled tonnage of any month in the
last month in the last two years. The
railroads have been placing large
orders are TO be placed il the railroads
are to maintain their upkeep. Railway
earnings have been. on the whole. sat
sfactory The tonnage handled COM
pares favorablv With that of last year.
indicating a large movement of all
classes Of merchandise. The textile
mills are reporting heavier operations
There is a moderately better industrial
demand for fuel as a result of the
greater activity at the mills and fac
tories and consequently a greater
movement in both soft coal and anthra-
cite.
The facts are that the betterment in
Industrial and trade conditions. signs
of which have been visible to close OBJ
servers for two months has now be-
come plain TO all and is reflected by
the expansion in bank clearings and
railroad earnings, the big uplift in the
copper the increased activity in dry
goods. the hrisker demand for money
and in the confidence inspired by the
record breaking cotton crop of upwards
Of 1900 900 bales The situation as
the year draws 10 a close is so much
more encouraging as 10 be the years
holiday trade is notably active in all
the large cities. This retail activity.
coupled with the unusually warm
weather and the end of the year ac-
counting. operates to make wholesale
operations slower. but there has been
no real check TO the expansion in bust
ness. The improvement in iron and
steel grows steadily and is accompan-
led with advances in prices. Dun's and
Bradstree:'s agencies insist that the
outlook for the new year is exceedingly
promising.
In the dry goods trade the most not
a bic DEVELOPMENT is the betterment in
woolens and worsteds Silks are also
stronger. Leather IS dull but prices
fr,n Hides are weak Copper stocks
decline and copper prices advance.
/ Railroad earnings in the first week of
December increased GA per cent. and
bank clearinas this week gained %
ner cent outside and 81 per cent in
( New Ork over !9lV. Nhlle as COIL
pared with 1909 there were declines of
rs and 1871 per cent, respectively.
! Taking the whole situation into con-
/ sideration it looks as if December
I would be better than November in
! trade expansion. just as November was
better than the preceding months. The
latest weeks foreign commerce ex-
hibit for the port Of New York is
gratifying: Exports of SIT .s92.74S were
not only s1.623.523 larger than the i'm
ports. but were s3,4os,739 larger than
in 1910 and s2,54a,563 over 1909.