The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-01-10
CAUTION AGAIN
CAUTIONED BY
BRADSTREET'S

Bradstreet's. in a review OF the bust
ness year. says:
The history OF the business year 1919
may be said to deal with three great
movements. First OF these was the inn
mense demand. begun before the year
opened. Tor cereals. meats. wire, auto
inoDiles. horses. clothing and a variety
OF other products that practically swept
Ine country bare OF surplus stocks OF
staples OF all kinds and especially of
any sort OF ready made war marterial.
whether for offense or s~ustenance.
A Nampl Of this was the taking
up or every surplus DusheI OF the great
est wheat crop in the country = history
az close to the highest prices ever known.
Inc second period may be said TO en-
embrace the marvellous division which
occurred I'm our Industrial forces, which,
lacking occupation OF a peaceful kind.
turned toward the production OF war
= material. oemonstratiug the adaptability
oI American manufacturers. mechanics
and artisans, ana giving a vast incentive
u the production OF al KINDS OF metR4s.
whose output alone would place the year
In a class by itself.
Few workers Jobiess.
win The immense expansion in the
dustry shown An me first hsif OF the
year unemployment. which had declined
slcaclly from hign Levels at the outset
OF inc year. pracuca4Iy ceased To exist,
skilled LABOR became scarce. and me
S~|innionest Kind OF common labor rose
IN demand
The third period may be said to have
bees coincident with the fina1 realization
by the business world mat the Immense
foreign emAnd could not gu on without
a vast inIiuenco upon purely domestic
TRADE. ana this latter Drancn OF bust
D.. ness, possibly reprcsSed carly in the year
by lear OF our Involvement IN hosuIu.s.
stimulated by the large earnings and
swollen payrolls of industrial centres.
anu plugged BY the gathering OF inc
greatest food crops In history. bringing
unsurpassed earnings 10 farmers, surgvd
IN me iau months Ia a Veri1aDls
ETlHann ENEall ri "a A..
slOchs OF goods bought Ou previous con-
SorNauNe lines all too small 10 satisfy
demands. Decreases shown IN the earlier
months OF the year were IA many cases
MADE up by the advance In the iail. but
the years results in dIstrlbutive trade
as a whole are harry up 10 the best Or
ssouI1nes Markets Active.
flnancl4L circles uad a very Iaborable
year. Securities markets. were Acuce.
interesting anu profitable after the re-
sumption OF unrestricted dealings in
March. The basic influences were the
aounuant upple ana unoriken eaes or
money. together WItn the strong financial
position OF the country. Europe snIppea
us S4UV.OUO.OUO OF gold ana returned
some Sl,VOO,UOU, 900 OF American escurl-
Ties. which were reauliy absorbed. rur-
thcrmore, loans or credits aggregattug
nearly Sl.OOO.OUO 700 were eAIended 10
foreign countries.
"Inese enormous items failed. how
ever TO adjust the balance OF trade. and
foreign exchange ruled throughout
strongly IN FAVOR of the Guiteu states
D.mand sterling. which stood at around
4.S5 last January, declined By syptrln-
her ! to 4-oV. out rallied TO 4.7A in the
past month. mainly through large for-
cign borrowing here
rorecastlug the year 1916 the review
says:
n war bulks so large IN the worlds
affairs at present ang 50 much OF our
present prosperity Is due 10 II that the
IutuTe OF tnIs cOnutrys trade and INDUS
try depends largely upon the questions
ui when ana how peace VIII return TO
the world. AT the present writing peace
seebs rather far distant. and II tnat view
D. correct a continuance OF insistent de-
mtnd for "A vast variety OF American
products esems as certain as anything
can DC "a SAID 10 be that exists In this
world OF Change. Indeed. 81 our future
abiIty 10 supply the things Europe
needs 70 carry on war were equslled Dy
our means to deliver (shipsD or the buy
crs' power To- pay Tor goods bought there
would seem 20 be no limit TO our ability
10 grow rich al our European neighbors'
cNpcnes.
Sees Need OF Caution.
II. contrary To present expectations.
the war ENDS shortly an entirely differ
,nt est or problems will have 20 be met.
lu mat case a large Surplus or munitions
would be sure 10 here. The
campaign OF preparedness would seem
Hkcly 20 absorb "a great part or these Tor
or much war order capacity to the arts
II peace and a widespread Teadjustmen
Of machinery. of labor and Of wages
would seem Imperative.
Perhaps. iu view ~ the large business
already booked and tho wonderfully good
tina unfold themselves 10 rs
We need 70 guard ourselves A. carefully
from anticipation seeking
expression, perhaps. IN uubridled specu.
1ation. as a short time ago We needed
90 avoid being unduly affected BY IN
p~assimistic prediction called forth b,
the outbreak Of the greatest war In his.
tory"