Bismarck Daily Tribune

THE WEEK

By their magnificent response to the needs of the earthquake sufferers the American people have not only given further evidence of the vast resources of the nation, but displayed qualities of heart and spirit that provide new reasons for optimism regarding the future. San Francisco will rise from its ashes greater than before, and, aside from some forced selling of securities or temporary pressure in the money market, the nation as a whole will receive no set-back. Modified demands by the anthracite coal miners increase the chances of an early settlement of the controversy, and otherwise the labor situation is unusually free from friction for this season. Weather conditions are favorable for retail trade and building operations, while the crop outlook is bright on the whole, although some sections report delay to planting on account of excessive moisture, and there is much complaint regarding the scarcity of labor. A large demand and satisfactory results are anticipated at the sale of wash fabrics next week. Manufacturing plants are working to their full capacity in the leading industries, especially iron furnaces and steel mills, and there is little idle machinery at footwear factories or textile mills. Railway earnings thus far reported for April surpass last year's by 8.2 per cent, and foreign commerce at this point shows a gain of $938,619 in imports, and a small loss of $283,619 in exports, as compared with the same week of 1905. Prices of the 60 most active railway securities declined to the lowest average since last August and money rates firm. Heavy withdrawals by the west offsetting receipts of gold from abroad. Mercantile collections are somewhat irregular, which may be traced to financial stringency. Bank exchanges at New York show an increase of 10.4 per cent in comparison with last year's figures, while at other leading cities the average gain amounts to 9.1 per cent.