Show POSITION OF COPPER from all indications the present high price of copper will be maintained for some time to come and a further advance is by no means improbable recent inquiries indicate that there is a demand already evident for all the metal which can call be obtained during the present year even with the tl le enlarged capacity of some of the heavy producers all of the largest sellers of copper cop per contracted their entire output for the first half of 1917 during the closing months of last year the order at that time from the entente allies for pounds at a cost of approximately 25 cents the largest c contract 0 11 for metal ever undertaken practical ly stripped this country of the available supply until the end of june it is gener ally known that feelers have already been sent out from the same source regarding a like contract for the product for the last half year the new order will call for between and pounds and authorities state that the price probably will be around 27 cents definite information n regarding this it is said will be forthcoming iby by the end of the present month or early in march all of europe except the central powers is of course dependent upon america for its supply of the red metal the question has arisen whether production here can keep keel pace with the demand it if the looked for order is placed and predictions are now made that our own consumers will have to pay a higher price for their supply than at any time since the civil war with the possible exception of 1872 this condition of course means prosperity and increased activity for the small producer as well as for the large one dividends will be paid regularly new wealth put into circulation and work supplied to a great army of men the big producers last year all stacked up enormous surpluses of cash and in this connection it is reasonable to surmise that most of the profits during 1917 will be distributed to stockholders as a surplus beyond certain figures becomes more or less of a white elephant P hant of course these rosy prognostications have to do with the outlook at the present writing the central powers claim that their submarine operations will end the war within three months which is doubtful the effect of any such contingency upon the metal market or of the united states being drawn into the struggle is problematical but it is difficult to figure how either occurrence or both could result in any immediate important recession in the price of copper and silver |