Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-31

was due to the expansion in use of
current for household use, especially
refrigeration. Industrial use accounts
for a tremendous amount OF power
and no sharp recession Is anticipated
either in production or profits.
Operating costs of some companies
which went up temporarily owing to
high coal prices may be expected to
recede. Many new plants, efficiently
equipped, came into commission dur
ing the year. Farm identification
made more progress than In any pre-
vious period and sales of electric
power grew rapidly.
Gas companies made remarkable
progress. Fully 10000, 100000 cubic
feet of manufactured gas was con-
sumed during the year, a gain Of ten
billion feet. Much of this gain was
used in heating operations. With the
natural gas burned, consumption for
the year Is estimated at between 440,-
10,000,000 and $1,000, 100000 cubic
feet.
Telephone and Telegraph.
New and improved apparatus was
put into use by the telephone and tele-
graph companies, which handled a re-
markable volume Of business. There
were also rapid developments in the
radio field, in broadcasting and re-
ceiving apparatus, and in commercial
transmission OF messages by wireless
telephone and by the SO -called Marconi
beam" system, which was put into eff
feet between England and Canada and
which is slated for adoption here early
In the year.
The foreign trade of the United
States WAS both hampered and helped
by the British coal strike. While large
quantities of grain and cotton were
moved abroad, the drop in prices held
down the dollar value OF the exports.
Imports continued heavier than those
Of 1925 throughout. This reflected the
high level Of prosperity, the demand
for certain foreign luxuries and the
sustained consumption of rubber, silk.
tin, coffee, tea and other commodities
produced outside the United States.
The general expansion of foreign trade
amounted to about 5 per cent as COM
pared with last year. For the first
10 months of 1926 exports totaled
So, 666, 800, 900 and imports $3,705,-
500, 900.
InstaIlment Selling Continues.
Business men have learned that how
ever much experts might differ as to
the merits, the disadvantages, the
profits and the dangers of installment
selling, that method Of merchandising
has come to stay. The system has
grown for five years and Is being used
| to a greater extent than ever before.
Those who followed old Omars adj.
vice to take the cash and let the
credit go" would have hard shedding
| in modern business. The list of COM
modities sold ION time" Is rapidly
| broadening and includes automobiles,
| furniture, household, mechanical and
| farm equipment, clothing, furs, jewel
| ~, paints, building materials and
| other products. The volume Of in
| stallment sales this year is expected to
| total at least $4,000, 100000. But since
| the average cash payment Is rs per
| cent and the remainder is reduced
monthly, only about 42.5 per cent Of
the installment debt is outstanding at
any one time. Since some $130,000,-
| 100000 is now loaned by one part of
the population to another, the amount
| outstanding in this form of indebted
| ness does not seem to have assumed
| extraordinary proportions In view of
| the fact that losses In this form of
| credit have been only 0.18 per cent.
| It's proponents say 1t has raised stand
| ards of living, and certainly present
| day standards or living IN America
are the highest ever known in history,
and the American population is living
| up to them.
Advertising Dominant Factor.
! Advertising, particularly newspaper
advertising, has been another domi-
nant factor in sales, both cash and
| installment. This influence was espe-
| cially in evidence toward the close of
the year and had much to do with
the record breaking volume of holiday
sales recorded. Advertising volume
of 105 newspapers in 81 major cities
was larger than in 1925 in every
month of the year.
Life insurance registered its best
year in history by securing about S1o,-