Show curtailment OF COPPER TION there is every reason to believe that an arrangement has been fully perfected looking towards the curtailment of copper production there may be no written agreement to prove that such a movement is in contemplation but the future will probably show that such is the understanding between the big copper producers of the united states even now thus early in the day the reports of the leading mining companies of the west show a slight falling off in the output of the red metal various reasons being assigned for the shortage and it is claimed that the plan for curtailment calls for a decrease of at least 25 per cent of the normal for three months and of 10 per cent for the six months following reading between the lines of this gentle manly agreement the first benefit to accrue is to provide for overproduction over production even though consumption is but little below the normal output out put the den demand ivind for copper at 0 the present time is noticeably active and it is believed that with a shortage in production the price of copper can be advanced to 15 cents at which figure the producers even with a decreased d output out put can make more money than they are now doing at the th e present prices for copper and with their present production while the conservation of their ore reserves because of curtailed production means just that much more in additional profits to be amounted for later on that this is the gramme pro is now generally believed and it is whispered that if it is successfully carried through the real intent of the arrangement is to effect a consolidation or merger of the great copper producers of the united states at a time when conditions will fully warrant such action whether or not contending forces in the copper world have settled their differences as above outlined one fact can be counted upon almost to a certainty andthil and this is that an advance will soon be noticeable in copper quotations |