The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-11-01
81 THE BUSINESS ASPECT,
The Number of Fnilur es for tho Past Mao
Months and The Amount of the liabilities.

The Number of FniIur es for tho Past Mao
Months and The Amount of the liabilities.
The New York mercantile agency of
Dun, Barlow & Co. has issued a circular
| giving the number of failures during the
last three months as 2,450, with liabili-
ties amounting to $47,e57,O 600 against
1,771 failures during the anne period in
1875, with $54, 1928, 900 liabilities. The
increase of failures during the last three
months over the previous three months
is twenty-five per cent. The failures for
the nine months OF 1876 aggregate 1850,
with liabilities running up to $156, 272,-
600 divided into 2,806 failures for the
first three months, LIZA the second,
and 2,450 the third. During the first
nine months in 1875 the failures num-
bered 1884, with liabilities amounting
to $131, liz, 900 showing an increase
in 1876 of LIS. Still the agency pre-
diets that, although the figures make a
poor showing, the actual condition of
general mercantile business is on a surer
footing than for years.
The circular states that "there is not
only a good deal to show that We are
nearer q prosperous condition, but there
are many proofs that the heightened
depression has not produced general ex-
haustion. The healthy constitution Of
the commercial. organization remains
unimpaired, and it can we'll afford to
wait for the fulfllment of the better
promise that now dawns. We have
suffered, it is true, but not organically ;
and therefore it may be fairly hoped,
that when the better times at last arrive,
the trade of the country will be found
in a healthy condition, with the
additional advantage of many les
sons from the period of adversely
through which it has passed.
The vast majority of our merchants and
manufacturers, though they have suf-
fered heavily, have sustained themselves
in spite of the altered conditions of bust
ness, and the general stagnation of
trade. This power of resisting the con-
tinued strain has been the hopeful fea-
ture of the past, as it is now of the
future, when there are indications, be
they ever so slight, Of improvement.
Meantime, Notwithstanding the reverses
of those in trade, the great bulk of pro-
ducers in agricultural regions have pros
pered. This vast body, upon whose
prosperity must be based that of all
others in this country, have been excep-
tionally favored. Good crops bringing
goodprices, cheap freights, reduced cost
of labor, and lower prices for all supplies
have largely increased their purchasing
power, and placed them in a position
comparatively independent Of the ad-
verse circumstances prevailing in other
classes" ":
The agency states that with tho ex-
oeption of France and, Belgium every
other European nation has suffered an
equal number of suspensions in accord
ance with the amount Of business trans-
acted.
OF the future outlook the following is
presaged: ~.'. ...
cit would be unsafe to rely too i'm
plicitly on the expectation that the hard
times are nearly over. The "sprrt " in
trade, which some term the activity of
September, is not likely to be followed
by a continuous revival throughout the
autumn and winter. Or the contrary,
there is hardly a possibility that the i'm
mediate future can be fruitful of much
advance. The season of the year, the
expenditure of the masses travelling to
and from the Centennial Exposition,
the circulation of money for the move
ment of the crops, cheap transportation,
and other circumstances, have been ia.
vorable to an improved business thus
far in the season, Notwithstanding the
political excitement incident to q Presi-
Dental year. These favoring condi-
tions will hardly prevail to the same ex-
tent throughout the current quarter. It
will therefore not do to take tho results
of the past thirty days as the harbinger
of the next ninety. Still, the conclusion
is universal that the tide which leads
onto fortune" has turned, and that the
future will witness q steady though
gradual Improvement in numerous bust
ness interests hitherto depressed and
proftless."