Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-01-09
Bradstreet's Review
Predictions Verified

Bradstreet'S Review for the year
1926 refers to the striking vertical
ton of the predictions made a year
ago. 1t declares the year ran as true
to form as any year in memory.
Following review Of the year that
is past Bradstreet's ventures these
predictions for 1926:
Reviewing year in which hap
pened so,much that was good and so
little relatively that was otherwise,
and contemplating the new peaks to
which stock market prices, real es
tate speculation, bank clearings to-
tails. steel. automobile and silk pro-
duction figures, and last but not
least. building expenditures, mount
ed, it is only natural to find discus
sion of the possible permanence of
conditions making for these big to-
tails. 1t speaks well, after all, for the
essential caution with which specu-
lative operations were conducted that
a fairly widespread disposition Is
found to see a possible curtailment Of
some speculative activities within
the new year. till, so well employed
have been the great majority, and so
enormous has been the buying power
generated by the dissemination of
the highest financial compensation
ever paid in time of peace, that many
observers find it difficult to say any,
thing but that old landmarks have
been obliterated by the events of the
past decade and that the business
community is sailing in uncharted
waters. Part of the readiness to
concede that slight reaction in
speculative lines is possible, explain
y, al iy,r,
predict beyond the time when new
crops become influential upon senti-
ment. Part of the unquestionable
confidence displayed in purely trade
circles. in the face of the rather
mediocre year in agriculture, is pro-
badly based upon American conf
dence in the continuing good fortune
of the country. enabling 1t to sur
mount any and. all obstacles, while
part is based upon the knowledge
that in trade and industry buying
was, after all, cautious enough in
1925. One sample of the good for
tune attending the country in 1925
was seen in the quick filling of the
gap in export trade, caused by re-
duced foreign takings of grains and
most foods, by raw cotton and man.
fractured goods, especially automo-
piles. 1t may be pointed out that
the low price of corn has been made
the basis for some rather definite
recent demands for government aid
to the farmer, the offer of advice and
or information from Washington
having apparently evoked little en-
thusiasm. This feeling, revealed in
recent weeks in parts of the west,
indeed, rather negatives the earlier
hopes and declarations that there
was to be less government in bust
ness than in former years. If hopes
could be held out that some of our
politicians would cease to annoy
some of our best foreign customers,
1t might reconcile us to ATTEMPTED
political tinkering in purely domestic
trade From a domestic standpoint,
the country, some farming and coal
mining elements excepted, seems
prosperous. and foreign outlook has
been apparently easily improved by
the spread of the Locarno idea. If ac-
counts are correct, Europe today is
SUN on a not much better than 1918
oasis of commerce and trade. MAY
we not hope to share in filling up this
vacuum of dozen years. creation Z?
III we can, fairly prosperous BUSH
ness seems assured here in 1926. The
unwillingness of prophets to predict
beyond the first half of the year.
however. will probably buttress Am
erican business in its recent DISPOSE
ton to go forward cautiously and not
to take any more chances than it did
in the rather good year lust closed /"