The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1916-01-11
PROSPECTS BRIGHT
BEYOND PRECFDENTS
Dunn's Review Sees Only Prosperity
For the Year Which Is Now Be-
ginning.

That business prospects for the year
1916 are bright beyond precedent, that
there is scarcely a lull in trade on
account of the ordinary post holiday
establishments, that the greatest him
drance to further expansion is freight
congestion on the railroads, that bank
clearings are more than so per cent.
greater than a year ago, the gross
earnings of railroads are more than
20 per cent. greater than year ago,
that deferred payments are every
where being resumed and that we are
in the midst of period of construc-
tive development in American finance,
are among the many optimistic state
ments contained in the general re-
sumo of business conditions for the
beginning of the year by Dun's review.
1t says:
At the close of another epochal year
this country occupies the position or
information supremacy in finance,
commerce and industry, and optimism
is universal as 1916 opens with pros
poets bright beyond precedent. So
much hesitancy ordinarily character
ICES the business situation at this
season that the prevailing activity is
noteworthy, if not surprising. Though
inventOrying and other annual ad-
justments cause a temporary hating
in the advance in some lines, espe-
cially in wholesale channels, the lull
is much less general and marked than
usual, and certain branches even re-
fleet further substantial progress. In
stead of diminishing, as is customary
at this time, demands in several i'm
portant departments show a contin-
ued increase and rarely, if ever, have
manufacturing forces been so largely
covered by contracts at this period.
This ensures full employment well into
the new year and is a condition that
results, not from mere speculation,
but from actual consumptive require
ments that in many cases exceed pro-
ductive capacity. In most industries
it is not question of finding buyers,
but of how to make specified deliv-
cries on previous orders, and in not
few instances the volume of bust
ness would be still larger were it pos
sible to promise definite shipments.
To a considerable extent, distribution
continues to be hindered by the freight
congestion, and the railroad embar-
goes on coke have necessitated the
shutting down of a number of foun-
dries in the East for lack of this fuel
Similarly, though due to a different
cause, the scarcity of dyestuffs acts as
a check on textile manufacture; yet
even here the mills are very actively
engaged, while New England footwear
factories are assured of capacity OPP
erations for several months to come
In view of the existing supply and
demand situation, it is not unnatural
that prices are tending upward cop
per is a notably strong feature, and
of the 1926 wholesale quotations regu-
larly compiled by Dun's Review AZ
showed advances and 29 declines this
week All the statistical comparisons
in fact, tell of boom conditions Bank
clearings-S2.8 per cent. larger this
week than year ago-measure the
magnitude of current commercial
transactions and reflect the strikinf
gains in holiday trade, while returns
of railroad earnings-gross revenue:
of systems reporting for three weeks
of December being 20.5 per cent allow
those of 1914-show how fully tn,
transporting interests have recovered
from previous depression. Moreover
though foreign commerce movement
have diminished, probably due in par
to the inadequate oversee shipping ia
cilities, the merchandise outgo con
tinues very heavy, and up to Decem
Der 25 the excess of exports over i'm
ports for the year Appropriated 81
/ $50, 1000, 000-by far the most colossa
balance ever recorded.
1t is mainly because of the sold-u
: condition of the mills that domesti
/ buying in some lines of iron and stet
has diminished. The abatement
) most apparent in crude and semi-fir
8 ished departments, yet anything tha
tends to relieve the congestion at mar
ufacturing plants is regarded as