Show THE OUTLOOK since our last issue the outlook has become somewhat clouded there are several causes for this condition the crop reports from some sections of the country have not been so encouraging as they were earlier in the spring there is quite an unsettled condition on account of the present strike in the great soft coal regions of the country on account of the still unsettled condition in the railroad situation on account of the failure of the supreme court as yet to give a decision in the trust cases and on account of the general agitation in several portions of the country on account of graft and other forms of corruption the report regarding the copper surplus issued the first of the month was the occasion for quite a drop in many of the leading copper stocks the surplus had increased much more than was anticipated the demand for the metal has not yet increased to a point that will warrant better prices for the metal very soon there has also been considerable shipment of gold from this country in settlement of the balance of trade this is u usually regarded as somewhat unfavorable it indicates however that we have more demand for some things that we do not produce and for which we have use on the other hand the steel trade continues very encouraging it is likely that the dividend divi bend rate on the common stock will be advanced from 1 per cent to ia per cent quarterly the company has been receiving orders for an immense tonnage every day since the middle of last month locally the outlook is somewhat brighter the activity in our mining stock market last week indicated what might be expected expect ea if there should be any encouraging reports from the mining districts the investing public is now about ready to enter the market for promising speculative stocks we look for continued improvement in nearly all the lines of mining stocks especially those of gold mines and silver lead |