The Washington herald., 1912-01-22
WALL STREET NEWS.
Little Fear Of Coal Strike This
spring-CrOp Conditions at
Present Justify Optimism.

New York. jan n.-sometimes a little
stronger. sometimes a little weaker, but
at nearly all times holding firmly, the
stock market drifted along last week
with hardly any Notable change in prices
and with professional traders more and
more evincing a disposition TO retire
from a game OF speculation where the
chance OF immediate proht. whether in
operations for the fall or the advance,
were so small It is fair TO say. how
ever, that this general Characterization
has TO be modified somewhat by the
course followed by the market in the
last two days OF the week
Attempts at that time to buy moder-
ate quantity of some OF the standard
railway shares for investment resulted
in the discovery that the floating supply
OF these stocks in the market was very
limited, and a general recovery in prices
ensued. Probably during the week there
was as much discussion regarding Lehigh
Valley stock as anything else. this chiefly
arising on the part Of habitual market
operators, because of the more or less
unexpected contingencies which arose af-
fecting technical market conditions for
this particular issue.
Some reference may properly be made
at this time, too, 10 the matter OF a
possible coal strike in the anthracite
mining regions this spring. No one can
say that the coal miners will not strike.
but the more the matter Is looked into
the more likely IL appears that no strike
will occur. There is substantial reason
for believing that the demands put for
ward by the labor leaders that there
shall be an abolition Of the existing sys-
TEN OF adjusting disputes between en-
ployers and employees by means Of
board OF conciliation. and that the coal
companies shall make a collection each
week out OF the wages OF their men OF
the labor union dues does not have in
any degree the support of the labpring
men themselves. but represents a more
audacious move on the part OF few
labor union heads.
Beyond all this, the effort OF any labor
union In the country TO enforce such de-
mands as have been outlined would be
an affront to the public sentiment OF the
land, and would be speedily suppressed.
When IL comes to the question OF wages.
the case is somewhat different. Although
the wages Of the coal miners have been
raised many times In recent years. and
are already adjusted in part on a sliding
scale which has Injured greatly to the
miners benefit. II is not impossible that
as a matter Of pure generosity. the coal
mining companies may make further con-
cessions in this respect. II this is done.
AAAN bNEN oN4uAOu 10 AEhI uhuEGT OF u COal
strike may be considered as practically
eliminated.
AgriculturaIly. II Is clear that the coun-
try has laid up for itself a greater store
Of wealth than has been heretofore sup
posed in its abounding cotton crop OF
the season. which Is now placed at a
minimum OF l5. $4,000 bales. Nor has the
significance been lost with thoughtful
people OF the story which the past has
to tell OF the records OF those years of
American business and finance which
Immediately succeeded years when such
great trade balances were heaped up in
our favor as that which accumulated in
1911 II seems again worth while, too. to
recur to the extremely favorable pros
poets for the winter wheat crop, justified.
first, by the highly satisfactory condition
as regards moisture which attended the
planting OF the crop last year. and.
secondly, by the splendid snow covering
which the crop has received in the past
month and still enjoys. An agricultural
precedents run 20 the effect that with
such a state of affairs in the fall and
winter as prevailed a large winter wheat
crop is to be looked for.