The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-07-04
Imports Help to Swell EnOr- mouse Totals Now in
 This Country
FORTIFIED FOR THE
 END OF THE WAR
America Will Be in the Strongest Position to Aid Other Nations in Rehabilitation When
 Conflict Ends
By HOLLAND

New York, July 3-(Special) Jon the last day but on of the fiscal year, an au- thoritative report was published which told the story of the production of gold in the United States, including Alaska, for the year 1915. It is a new record and it was said of 1t that it was worthy of special celebration or recognition upon the Fourth of July. The figures given in this report are $101, ,357000, and this is greater than the best record ever made before 1s15-that of the year 19O9-by ap- proximately s1,oOo,o 900.
 When the experts reported in 1910 that the gold production of the United States for the year 1909 was 9,673 400, the pre- diction was made that this would proba- bly, establish a permanent record. Many of the experts were persuaded that the United States had reached the climax of it's gold producing capacity, making that statement with a mental reservation that possibly a great increase in Alaska s gold production might in the course of few years establish a new record. This opn- ion was based upon the presumption that existing gold mines were being worked to their yearly capacities, as well as the further presumption that there would be no new gold properties, at least of large producing capacity, discovered.
 As long ago as 1900 the late Maurice B. Muhlman, himself high a.upthority, was inclined to think that gold production in the United States would never be in excess of $10O,000,000 a year. When, how ever. Alaska began to produce in large amounts, MT. Muhlman qualified that opinion. He was willing to admit the possibility that the prediction made by ex-Senator John P. Jones respecting Aiaska's gold production might be veri- fled. Senator Jones, who was one of the first of the citizens of the United States to invest in gold mining properties in Alaska, near Sitka, before the discov- cries in the Yukon and Nome districts, was convinced that in time, when pros- pecting had been carried far into the in- terior of Alaska and when adequate transportation was furnished, the terri tory would yield a larger amount of gold each year than any American state, ex- cepting California, had done. Senator Jones based that opinion upon investiga- ton which he made as an expert in gold and other precious metal characteristics found in the rocks and soil.
 ANOIHER POlNI OF VIEW
 Aside from the sentimental interest which is stimulated by the report that at last the United States produced in a sin gle year gold in excess of 00000,000 there is a practical point of view furnished by this report which the federal reserve board at Washington as well as leading men of finance are taking. All of the bankers, at least all who have had some part in international financing and all Of the members of the federal reserve board at Washington, are convinced that the United States should increase as rapidly as possible it's supplies of gold, with in tent to utilize great reserve in establish ing financial conditions after the Euro pean war is ended which will make it possible for the United States greatly to aid other nations in their attempts at re- cuperation.
 Already the supply of gold possessed by the United States is in excess of any possessed now or at any previous time by any other nation. It is spoken of as