The Greatest Business Year

THE GREATEST BUSINESS YEAR.

The year 1901 marks the high water point in American Financial matters. Business of all kinds seems to have surpassed anything in previous history. The farms of the country have been blessed in an unusual degree and the exports of wheat up to the present time for the current crop year are 50,000,000 bushels In excess of last year. The railroads have done more business than during any other year in their history. Their earnings have piled up to a point never before reached. The mills of the country have never before seen such a mammoth output. The foreign trade has expanded by such leaps and jumps that the other nations have become alarmed at what they are pleased to call the American menace. Never before has so high a mark been reached. The mines of the country, almost without exception, have established new higher marks. The banks have likewise established new "highests." The totals of the banking business surpass anything in past experiences.

The country is stronger than ever before financially. The treasury is groaning under its load of surplus. In addition to the $150,000,000 surplus provided by law, it contains an additional $175,000,000 of cash, making a total of $325,000,000. The government's securities are at a premium at a lower rate of interest than any other nation. There is plenty of money in the government vaults to meet all monetary demands with so large an amount left over that the problem of greatest concern to the new secretary of the treasury "will be what to do with the surplus. The disbursements which will be made in a few days in New York city on account of interest are paid to aggregate $175,000.000. Other great financial centers will have large outlays on account of interest also. It is said that all past records will be beaten during the first ten days of January in the cities of New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago and St. Louis, in the matter of disbursements to the credit of Interest and dividends.

The failures during the year in proportion to the number of people in business are said to be less than during any preceding year. The outlook tor the coming year in all financial lines seems to be even brighter than during 1901. It is to be hoped that the nation and the people have kept pace, and will continue to do so, in higher things, with this wonderful development and progress in material well being.

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The Michigan State Naval Reserves are now making a great big kick on the Crowninshield clique of the navy department for leaving them out in the cold in the matter of distributing of awards. It will be remembered that the Reserves saw several months service on the Yosemite, and that they, while patrolling off the harbor of San Juan, were sent after the big Spanish transport, Antonio Lopez, that they also fought the Spanish gunboats, Isabel II and General Concha, also the torpedo boat, Ponce De Leon. The Lopez, was driven ashore and the gunboats and torpedo boats were driven back to shelter. The Reserves think their services in the matters deserve medals and the department has said they were not entitled to any medals. The Reserves have interested Congressman Corliss in their behalf and written the secretary of the navy for a hearing. Mr. Corliss pronounces the treatment extended to the Reserves an outrage and the end is not yet. Mr. Corliss says he will take the matter to the president if need be, for he proposes the men shall have justice in spite of the naval clique. Here is hoping that Mr. Corliss may succeed. 

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It is said that the export of wheat the four months of the present crop year has surpassed anything and everything in the previous history of the country. The exports have been 50,000,000 bushels in excess of last year and at the rate of 270,000,000 bushels. The average prices were a trifle lower than last year. Since the first of November, the amount that has moved into sight is a million a day.