The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-12-31

Il mas been year Of striking socisl
and political unrest The whole world
las in the melting pot as never before.
and the United States is doing It's
part in the process of separating the
dross from the finer products OF civil
ization. on social lines the unrest Is
vivid, seen IN the desire for better
living. both materially ana moralh.
our material progress has been phe-
uomenal Wealth has grown enor-
; m0usly. ana the way * being slowly
and somewhat painfully paved Tor its
ultimately more equitable distribution.
lOur moral progress is amply proved
10y the signal awakening VI the public
lConscience. and BY the energetic ef-
forts 10 eliminate or at least curtail
thc evils SO glazing In our business
and social life. Never before was
lvice of all forms SO relentlessly eA-
POSED and never before was there
such a determination To restrain or
,repress H. II there is anything abou:
such movements TO warrant hope and
lconfidence in American institutions, IL
IS this development or "a distinct up
ward movement IN public standards OF
conduct This may be observed in
all department OF business and public
life and IL is apparent 10 all familiar
with the control of affairs that many
things readily permitted a decade ago
would on no account be tolerated to-
day simply because Of an aroused
public opinion and the establishment
II higher standards q conduct.
There is no doubt that more has
been accomplished in this direction by
.appeals 10 public opinion than by leg
iislation. The same is true Of our
political life. The process of purin-
cation has been going steadily on, and
one Of the most encouraging features
IN this connection is the noticeable
bringing into office OF men OF a higher
type than formerly; men not only oil
ability but of distinctly higher ideas
land greater integrity. Such facts arc
worthy al note because the era OF
muck raking and government inVesu-
cations. as we'll as an apparent out
break Of vice in our great cities. have
: been so exploited in the public press
as 70 poison the public mind and create
an abnormal and unwholesome state
Of pessimsm. For many IL is difhcult
10 see under the surface. The average
. man is befogged by the sensationalism
Of the day, and fails into the erroneous
impression that We are degenerating'
Happily the forces Of betterment have
been quietly but unerringly at work, as
8 ls shown by the innumerable discus
. sions and movements In our Prea,
f, cities towards social justice and po-
litical purity. Of course no sane
person supposes that the millennium
u rs near az hand; Yet as the year closes
r il is worth while to stop and. take
n stock and see where we stand IN re-
.s gard To these great movements, socia
and political, which can either make
or ruin this great republic. Whatever
Y tends To build "A better and safer Am
II erica will also tend TO strengthen ant
n advocate our business institutions
= lana in this respect there is much room
for announcement as well as progress
IL is no eXaggeration to say that tn
outlook for America was never NOR
De brilliant. There are great problem
ot ahead that VIII puzzle our abies
=, thinkers, and setbacks must he expect
ed. but a new spirit Of progress Is D
." the air which is placing quite as niue
IN emphasis upon the mental and mora
n forces as upon the material Wit
s. such ideals before us, the future q
-, this republic is safe, provided the
are strenuously maintained and raise
sun higher when opportunity offers
Unusual Business Features.
The striking features in bushes
IL have been "A magnificent harvest, rec
On ord breaking foreign trade unpreceo
ented activity in the iron trade and
further continuation of real esta
activity. The value Of our crops TN
m wear was estimated AT SS,5OO.OOO,Oo
led compared with $500, 100000 We;
NOT ago Comparisons i'm values should "a
-. ways be accepted with reserVato
Quantities being a much safer stah'
i"e ard of measurement. Nevertheless z
To of our principal crops showed iari
increase, except cotton and cattle. %
act meat supply Is sum
=, por,s having entirely ceased our co
ton crop. though smaller than la
re- wear. was still very large. In DO
m cattle and cotton the years produ
the i'm money values was much great
90, than "A year ago. Our foreign IRA
surpassed all records. imports appro
oe imating 81, 800, 900 900. or about 500
ley 900 600 in excess Of last year, WI
EXPORTS are estimated at sz.4OO'oo'
900 or about s3OO,Ooo,O00 in exec
IN Of last year. Activity IN the ir
an trade has been simply marvellous o
plants having been operated during
considerable portion OF the year
ing fullv 95T of their capacity Our
raj mig iron output reached 2s,oooo
tons compared with 2S,0O0,cOO tons
Try wear ago We are producing more
iron than Great Britain and Germa
'"' combined: their total output TINS W
M being estimated at about z"ooo''
the tons. The worlds output Is estima'
al "a OOO. 900 tons. so that we have ~
turned out more than one third OF