The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-02-03
AMERICAN NATIONAL
BANKS BUSINESS LETTER
Points Out That Customs Revenue Cannot Be Attributed
TO War Conditions Business Conditions Excellent
and Little LetUp May Be Expected From
Presidential Year.

ETeSlu6nl
IRE American National Banks gem
frzi letter on trade conditions ana
nusiress forecast for the month ~
February n,i prove Interesting read
ing for all those who hike optimistic
htisit,ess nsrs II Lis as fnllnxk.-
1--WE are glad 10 be able to report
shaf conditions which looked so hope
sul at the time our Trade Report was
sNgus>si month ago have nor only
hecn rs,aspta ined. hut materially bet
fered. While some important lines
may attain much higher points OF ac-
4 ttyfty before they recede, the aggre-
cate of all business cannot increase
greatly The majority OF the heavy
HINES nf notwithstanding nfstf OF trade
are operating ut capacity ana some
"a them under such a strain of over
production as cannot he long main
tanned.
ST Ia much safer not to expect any
heavy increases over present totals in
either foreign or domestic trade. and
Al ii reasonable to expect WITHIN the
next few months some decline from
the present volume of transactions
Factories cannot run on a three-shift
basis or on any night-and-day BASIS
xndefinftely. and once we are through
the excitement OF the present boom
I III trade. wa will naturally settle down
10 d more stable and permanent basis
OF operations.
The customs revenues Ie
from 80 ndilaon dollars IN WI
10 2oe million dollars IN 1919,
drop Of more than ~ per cent.
We note that this decrease, Hike
IN other unpleasant things. has
he1sr, Attributed To the war. That
thF war ha0 ~ n.uS ~ ~ 60
4 - evioenccu from lhe IasA I's.
Cur ~ iass
"a InMhon notaaFN sssss t'1H ~
mo- tAsAHK tne aSStasN
GQaa6cIcu IN ~ laIAes, N 81
pnrf dnfy OF tnfs dHfetcnD w ....
q neye nenn iess lnsh iouf H.
a0&lafSs winch u -. es .a
!cr ~ - i ,. ou T.s .,s.s..
~ duueM GolssSaeu. e
nuty c0iIesgeu on - ni ...,,,ss
I1a@ Was ~ - q. - -. .e.,s
- Wi4 y WIS., Io.no PI ~
The nota fact tnAt our Mn-
ports - INI9 Werc a,soo n.n .a''
noHArs ~ spsse q W. WI ....
pared with i.Ius nla'o.is ~ as
nsad h5e8 mhisons II 10 si's'ai'
n0t ~ fs&fuy p11 us1'
Bank C1cartnGs Boom.
.paut r,rarinrs for December agar
.k..-saa i.rre Gains. argregating ovel
III hiI,,on dollars compared with near
NJ IA millions In December. 1914. .
IL ~atr 81 al per cont New York cit!
alone reported on increase IN clear
mrs of ia per cent. and for the eoun
IN 800 ,x,.t~iao m Nev York the gain wa,
X 49, rent
4 4 <..,,,r.a a,,r,nu Dace,n
ssss y. 40 ssyt,s,a rsai ssisf
z nsr = ~ ss..s~,hsr ,aIa and tiabilE
= 1.Vzo " -. tittie more than
u Lies $780, s..s .geinst Yearly ri
n &4.., snaIivn n.ss,,ons wear. However
Z u Mluaons NJ. wy I'VE concerns failing Ii
E1 vSs...ssss.r ugera less than seven mil
81 81 I. Al. Is.si.rs ecmnaraa with IL mil
,su.. ~ nerember, 1914. so that tn
-. a,ahttst,c. wAre practically tn,
u u. Z. sr.~ .hs fun months,
.ss.- ~, .s,s..s ,rar, the thirteen prin
ss,.ssr.s atstric,. far the fou
Glp@ .sss,ss Ianuarv 4 were 10.
49,. 1as,.ss ana tsnpoyfs we're isi
..s. ss,,s-s art,r an exnors hal
4 ill.,. - ~. =, rorts ~ asa million
a ahG 49, AZ srs.s. an,rrares with EXPORT
q e0laa ...s~. cnnrtrv In December
"a. ~ ens lillian dollars. imports
ssl,cns ana favorable trad.
Il - 80 "a Tas million dollars TIL,
H & - z . at~.,srt. handle something ove1
In ~ 80, fnrefwn trade *
IN ~ Pet ash, .s.s. - rood indie,
10 e eis.. sctal exnortx and import,
s$ III ysA~~r.r m u wei at thil
~ -sss. ~s,at,d ourseives tina
AMu affartivn rneasures mus
NJ Rsy ~ sfah1tahment d
~ % tAAeH ..sth fha uautra
p eIn.a 80 TarAlr, trade il K
n - ...sss ,.r~. ana nrofitabie after tn.