Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1915-02-05
FEBRUARY BUSINESS FORECAST
From Eau Claire National
Bank


is conyalescing." 1t is a pleasure
to go over definite figures on basic
! business conditions today and finG
that business is still improving
This does not mean that business is
as strong as it should be in every
part but that strength will come
with exercise and activity and, as ac-
,ivities are increasing daily in mum
erOus lines, it is reasonable to eX-
pect that business will soon be nor
NAL.
| Bank Clearings for the month Of
December were nearly 10 billion dol
lars compared with nearly Is billions
year ago, while clearings for the
Country excepting New York City
were billions for the month com
pared with nearly T billions a year
ago. The decrease for the whole
Country was IA per cent and for the
Country outside CT New York, near
ly per cent.
In our December Foreign Trade
statement, we find food for much
serious reflection Our trade with
other Countries in December was
large enough to nearly make up for
aha falling off occasioned by the Eu-
copeal War and the attendant in
corruption Of commerce. Those peO-
,.o wh3 believed that trade with the
LeutraI and even the belligerent ma
lions would amount to little until
he arrival CT peace must reyamp
their conclusions in the face Of the
happenings Of December. During that
month, our exports reached the re-
narakbIe total Of 246 million dollars,
q figure never before reached in the
commercial history Of the Country,
except during the three closing
months Of 1912. In the exports Of
any one month, some individual com
modify usually stands out as the big
item so there is nothing unusual in
or December was wheat. Wheat
and cotton were both big factors in
the high record export months at
the close of 1912. If exports were
lbn0rmally large, it is but natural
that some commodity of prime nee
9ssity should represent a strong por
ton Of the total Of such exports.
Exports are not confined to wheat
lOr are they confined to bread-stuffs;
during the first week in January our
copper exports were valued at more
,han million dollars even at the
present low price OF copper; during
December and the first few days of
January, We exported 8 million dol
.ars worth OF copper. Among the
big November export gains We're iron
and steel, nickel, metal working ma
chinery, automobiles, automobile
tires, leather and skins, gasoline and
tobacco, all to England, and metal
working machinery, automobiles, furs
and skins, boots and shoes, and gas
dime to France. All Of these items
showed material gains over a year
ago and you will note they are aside
from foodstuffs. Imports for Decem-
| Der were ia million dollars COM
pared with 1874 millions the previous
month and 1856 millions in December
year ago. By comparing these i'm
| port and export figures, we find We
| created q Trade Balance in favor Of
| this Country III the month of Deem
| Der OF almost 1872 million dollars
which would stand as the high rec
ord but for that Of October, 1913,
when our favorable balance for the
month showed 139 million dollars.
This is the fourth time on record
that We have created q favorable
trade balance exceeding 100 million
dollars in a single month.
The Gold movement for the month
Of December was million dollars in
our favor, indicating that our floating
debt to Europe has been paid or off
set and that the principal European
countries Will either be shipping gold
to us from this time forward or be
borrowing money from the people of
this country. One such direct loan
or credit has already been nego-
tiated and Russia is settling for
goods purchased in this country by
giving her notes for the amount
These notes must be paid within a
few months, either with imports
from Russia or with gold or Ameri
can securities.
The Railroad Situation shows de
cided Improvement since the freight
rate decision and while both gross
and net earnings Of railroads are still
far below normal or satisfactory fig
ures, the trend is in the right di
rection and the railroads are TAX
ing on a new activity, both in the
, MN ol, ciJ NpOro+ino rt