New Britain herald., 1916-07-08
LATEEVENTS MORE
 THAN FAVORABLE
Stock Market We'll Pleased With
 Turn, Says CleWs
Especial to the Herald.)

able from the stock market point of view. Mexican affairs assumed a more peaceful aspect, and there is good reason for anticipating a satis- factory solution of this problem by means of mediation instead of war
 Pitches and setbacks may develop,
 but one thing is certain, this country does not want war with Mexico; and,
 once the Mexicans appreciate that we
 have no lust for conquest of Mexican
 territory the way to permanent peace between Mexico and ourselves should De firmly established. If our govern ment can aid in restoring order on a basis satisfactory to the unhappy pco- pie of Mexico, so much the better. An archy, misery, poverty and starvation rule our southern neighbor with a cruel hand at present; and, for such conditions, peace and friendship ought to cure much more effectively than war and hatred.
 In Europe the great conflict has broken out with greater violence than ever. At last the allies have initiated l their universal drive; the central pow 1 CTS are being sorely pressed in every NuIocllOu, duu It Inay De the De- ginning of the end. It is now almost ] two years since the war began. It | seems impossible for the struggle to 1 last another year, and millions On both sides are hoping for peace within
 another six months. Certainly the
 war is two-thirds over, and let Us hope three-fourths. In bitterness and in-
 tensity it will grow toward the end, l but the world at large is already pre- l pairing for resumption of peaceful ac- l tivities. The doings of the economic l conference at Paris in this connection 1 were of much significance, and an l agreement between the allies to form
 a number of cooperative plans for restoration of their commerce and in dustry after the war is not surprising. ! These agreements are of course 1n- | tended to hamper the central powers. | It is satisfactory to note, however,
 that no general boycott is to be le- l clared against Germany. That would
 be sheer folly, and if carried too far l would surely lay the basis for an- | other war as soon as Germany is suf- l ficiently recovered. Moreover, if Ger | many can produce any products | cheaper and better than other natiOnS l refusal of the entente powers to buy 1 Inelll WOulQ 1ulllCI SeI1-lnJuTy ana build up the trade of the other nations
 at the expense of the allies. Further
 more, all of the allies will be only too 1 glad to sell to Germany; an imDossi-
 blity unless they also stand ready to l buy. Commerce has an irresistible
 habit of 1eaping over political barriers
 whenever transactions yield a mutual 1 profit; and is always a powerful
 peacemaker causing war only when l throttled or fettered to death.
 1 Home Conditions Encorraging
 | Home conditions are generally en- l couraging. Our agricultural output
 does not promise to be quite as boun- l tiful as last year; but good prices are practically certain, and there is no
 abatement of prosperity in sight for | the American farmer, who has now
 enjoyed an unusually long period Of | good fortune. The cry of "back to l the farm," was never more justified 1 now; and the small margin between l production and consumption in all the 1 International markets, together with
 the high prices for all farm products,
 affords a stimulating prospect for the l agriculturist. Regardless of the war l the worlds production, especially of | animal products, is often below con-
 sumption. Our industrial activity is
 still running at top speed The steel
 trade is positively suffering from over | consumption. Production is operated l at the limit yet there is no cessation
 In the pressure of orders; no signs of | weakness in prices, and steel mills
 would welcome a respite from the UT
 gent demands of consumers. Some
 intuition factories are shutting down; |o11, of fo
 at which ammunition is now being
 consumed at the front stimulating ex-
 pectations of fresh orders. The textile
 trade in New England, is fairly
 active and in good condition; the bet 1 ter prices recently obtained for mo ost
 fabrics resulting in increased divi- l dends on some mill shares and re- 1 sumption on others. The boot and | shoe industry also continues active | Autom obile makers have had a won-
 derful season; home trade having ex- 1 ceeded all expectations, while the eN-
 port trade on war account has been
 simply phenomenal.
 Financial conditions in the United
 States are particularly satisfactory.
 Our banks are prosperous and strong,
 while our enormous gold supply and
 the new federal reserve banks have
 imparted an responsiveness to our
 currency that has much to do with
 present activity. National bank loans
 are about s1,O0O,O 10000 900 in excess of
 a year ago, while bank clearings in
 June were forty-six per cent. ahead
 of last year and forty-eight per cent.
 more than in 1914. There is doubt
 less much imitation in present values;
 and the growth of trade in this coun-
 try, domestic and foreign, when
 measured in quantities as it should
 be, is much smaller than when meas l ured in values. Political conditions at homo are exceptionally quiet and the . presidential campaign for the time being Is almost entirely forgotten The most interesting feature has been