The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-12-01

hapS 95 per cent of the businesses in 1 this country are sold up or over-sold
 and therefore on a profit paying basis. It is likely that all or 8 part of these l profits for time must go to offset previous losses, but before the elapse of many weeks these businesses will be paying their usual dividends and
 many more than at present paying
 extra dividends. This leaves per
 cent of businesses generally, either
 doing a hand to mouth business and
 just about running even, or running
 behind.
 While it is an unfortunate condition
 which makes even per cent of our business interests suffer we must re-
 member that even in our most pros
 reached a stage in which as large a portion as 95 per cent of businesses were enjoying their rightfuI measure of such prosperity.
 As there has been much discussion of the possibility of materially in creasing our exports to neutral na- tions and particularly of building up
 a larger export business with South America which we will be in g. po-l sition to hold after the close of the European war, it would perhaps be well to single out some individual lines in order that we may thoroughly understand that we have made little or no progress HI that Q1T0CE1Ou. 4I0 figures which follow are hard to un- derstand in view of the upset condi- ton of Great Britain and the scarcity of labor in that country even in the arms and ammunition factories. Dur- ing October England exported to the
 United States 3,SS1 thousand yards of cotton fabrics and during September
 5,079 thousand yards. During the
 same months Great Britain exported
 to Central and South America 31, ,00e, =
 900 yards of cotton fabrics in October
 and 13,00O, GOO yards in September.
 While this evidences a large falling off
 when compared with previous years
 it is clear that England does not in
 tend to lose her grip on her export
 trade. She is exporting 25,000,00O
 yards of cotton cloths per month to
 China at this time Whether or not
 we can increase our exports to China is an open question but the South American markets are surely open to us and with the establishm ent Of our branch banks in those countries the first and most i'm portant step has been taken.
 Our exports from the Is principal customs districts for the four weeks ending Oct. 30 were $315, O00,o00 and our imports $I23.00e, 900. leaving us a 900. These Il customs districts usu- ally handle 90 per cent of our export trade and it is fair to assume that the 10 per cent yet to be reported from the smaller ports will not change the comparative figures. Our favorable trade balance at these 18 ports for the five weeks ended Oct 80 was nearly were not far from the average Of the past 10 years so that our Tremendous favorable tradel balance is brought about through a. largely increased ex- port, the major portion of which is fortunately manufactured goods.
 Our general business, both foreign and domestic, is most clearly demon sfrated in our bank clearings. which for 160 principal cities in October were 10000, 100000 compared with $12.009, ,0oo. 900 for the same cities a year ago Clearings for New York city were nearly SIS, 2,o0o, 900, 0Oo com pared with less than $6,00o,G00, 900 a year ago. The entire country showed a gain in clearings of nearly 72 per cent, while New York city standing alone showed gain of 127 per cent Quitting New York city, the country showed gain in clearings for the month of 21 per cent Of 160 cities oniy 26 failed to show a gain over last October Among the principal cities the greatest gains were shown by Atlanta, Richmond, Louisville, PhiIadelphia, New Orleans and St. Louis, the percentage of gain being in the order named Bank clearings for the first 10 months of this year showed a gain of nearly 8 per cent over last year and per cent over the l previous year.
 E Total money in circulation on the first of the month was $3, soo,000 poo | compared with $S,716, 600, poo a. year ago. Of this amount $17O, 0oo, 900 consists of Federal Reserve notes nF 7xy11i fc gold coin sand certificates, and only $16,0o0,00O of which is secured byl commercial paper
 Sales of stocks on the New York 1 Exchange for October were 26, ,828 l thousand shares, the best showing | more than 1.000so00 shares were 1 handled on each of 1T different days, ! making 50 days so far this year on | which 100000 shares or more have | changed hands There were two such | days in 1914 and not one in 1918.
 Bond sales on the New York ExL change for October were nearly $1oG, 100000, the best showing since last April and comparing with $s1,- OO0, ,00O in September
 Dividend and interest disbursements [ for October were $181,00O,o0O com pared with $162,OOo,0oO a year ago and for November will be S148 oOO,- k 900 compared with .$1 1000, 900 a l year ago. For November $57,O0a,Ooo l. of the total will be made up of divf- l. dends compared with $49, ,0OO,0 00O a year ago and interest will be nearly $8 1000, 900 compared with $s1 ,0o0,- l. 900 year ago. Both October and l. witnessed the declaration h of a, considerable number of extra or unusual dividends and restoration l' of dividends by companies which have suspended dividend payments during l. the past year or two.
 Financing by corporations amount |, ed to .$210,ooO.oo0 compared to s7o. 100000 in October of last year. Approximately $40, O,o0O.0OO of the amount was for refunding. the re- nainder being represented by new |. ina ncing.