text_original: Employ  ment was abundant ; trade was advancing by leaps and bounds ; high prices diffused an air of general if delusive prosperity. But during the last five yeai*s of the struggle the economic outlook dai'kened ominously.
text_transcription: EMPLOYMENT WAS ABUNDANT TRADE WAS ADVANCING BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS HIGH PRICES DIFFUSED AN AIR OF GENERAL IF DELUSIVE PROSPERITY BUT DURING THE LAST FIVE YEARS OF THE STRUGGLE THE ECONOMIC OUTLOOK DARKENED OMINOUSLY
phonemes: ɛmplˈɔɪ mˈɛnt wʌz ɐbˈʌndənt ; tɹˈeɪd wʌz ɐdvˈænsɪŋ baɪ lˈiːps ænd bˈaʊndz ; hˈaɪ pɹˈaɪsᵻz dᵻfjˈuːzd ɐn ˈɛɹ ʌv dʒˈɛnɚɹəl ɪf dᵻlˈuːsɪv pɹəspˈɛɹᵻɾi. bˌʌt dˈʊɹɹɪŋ ðə lˈæst fˈaɪv jˈiːi ˈæstɚɹˌɪsk ˈɛs ʌvðə stɹˈʌɡəl ðɪ ˌiːkənˈɑːmɪk ˈaʊtlʊk dˈeɪkənd ˈɑːmɪnəsli.