Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1918-11-15
DIGEST SHOWS
BUSINESS GOOD
Country Has Been Converted
To Essential War Work
With But Few
Failures


conditions throughout the United
States, furnished the News-Budget by
the Eau Claire National Bank, will
prove interesting reading to many of
our readers, who are DESTROYS of being
posted ON the present economic situa-
ton in the United States
In reviewing the activities of the
country for the past few weeks the
favorable indications which stand out
most prominently are record bank
clearings heavier foreign trade; few
business failures; dividend disburse-
ments almost up to last year after
heavy taxes; tremendous bond sales ;
slightly lower commodity prices; sat
isfactory S hip production; record
breaking pig iron output and steel
production; new high record in coal
output, both hard and soft and a big
gain in wool clip and in total farm
production as compared with a year
ago.
The unfavorable factors in the pres
ent situation are few in number and
by comparison small in Importance
Private building enterprise grows less
and less, but government building
enterprise more than makes up the
difference so that building operations
are actually in excess of year ago.
In spite of heavy production we are
short of coal, wool, sugar, oil, and
some other staples. On these we must
economic and due measure of econ
Omy will soon overcome the difficulty.
Still further economies will enable us
to absorb more Liberty Bonds and
War Savings Stamps and to provide
more abundantly the supplies needed
by our armies in order that we may
follow up the advantage and oppor-
tunity which now appears to be ours.
Heavy sales of Liberty Bonds are, of
course, in part responsible for the in
crease in bank clearings.
Bank Clearings at the principal
cities for September set a new high
mark for the month and totaled 26
billion dollars compared with % bill
ion dollars the month before and "a
billion dollars a year ago. Clearings
exclusive of New York City were
nearly Is billion dollars compared
with Is billion dollars a month ago
and 10 billion dollars a year ago, the
increase over September of last year
being % per cent.
Exports of merchandise during Aug
ust were valued at $50 million dollars
compared with sos million dollars the
previous month and 4S9 million dol
lars in August of last year. Imports
during August amounted to 273 mill
lion dollars compared with 241 mill
lion dollars the month before and 26S
dollars in August 1917, leaving a Bal
ance of Trade in our favor of 256 mill
lion dollars compared with 267 mil
lion dollars the month before and 221
million dollars a year ago. Export
figures do not include supplies carried
to our own armies in transports or
warships, but cover only merchandise
going abroad in merchant ships.
Dividend and Interest disburse-
ments for October will amount to 203
million dollars compared with 243
million dollars in September and 203
million dollars in October, 1917.
Dividends will account for SO million
dollars of the amount compared with
50 million dollars a year ago and in
terest payments will aggregate ITO
million dollars compared with 10S
million dollars year ago.
Money in circulation on October /
totaled 5,721 million dollars compared
with 1921 million dollars a month ago
and 1921 million dollars year ago.
The population of the United States is
now estimated as 106,301 thousand
compared with 1O4,576 thousand a
year ago, making the money circula-
ton per capita $53.S2 on the first of
October compared with 1926 a
month ago and $4610 a year ago. The
general stock of money in the United
States on the first of the month was
estimated at 1922 million dollars
compared with 1908 million dollars a
month ago and 5,595 million dollars a
year ago.
The average price of all commodi-
ties, according to the Bankers Com
modify Price Index, on the first day
of October was $604.3S compared with
$626.14 a month ago and $614.73 a
year ago.
Lake commerce through the 500
Canal during September was 12.400
thousand short tons compared with
1855 thousand short tons year ago.
The falling off is accounted for by a
smaller grain and iron ore movement
east and by somewhat smaller move
ment of both bituminous and anthra-
cite coal west
In shipbuilding, the United States
established new worlds record dur
ing the year ending September % by
launching 2,935 thousand lightweight
tons of ships and became the leading
shipbuilding nation of the world hav-
ing more ships, more ways, more
workers, more vessels under construc-
ton and in launching and completing
more ships per month than any other
country. During this calendar year
1913 to the close of September, we
completed 2,043 thousand lightweight
tons of ships. The United States
Shipn;nU Roord NOW onptroIc 1OS