Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-08-04
THE BUSINESS OUTLOOK.
a MARKED IMPROVEMENT IN TRADE
IN THE UNITED STATES.
An Exception to the General Ralo In the
presidential YeArs-The Favorable Crop
Reports ~ Home and the Uniavorabie
Indication In France ana England.

The popular impression that dullness In
business Is always an accom- pAniment Of q
presidential contest Ia not borne out by the
condition OF affairs this year. As tho presi-
dential campaign progresses business
seems TO steadily Improve The reports 40
10 the condition OF the different trades are,
with few exceptions, very favorable.
Both commercial agencies agree - TO thiA
"Our advices," Bradstreecs will say
to-day, "show unexpectedly early tigns
OF revival In several lines of eeLefsl
trade. In some lines the improvement he's
already begun, notably In dry goods and
boots and shoes. The greatest relative in.
crease IN the volume OF general trade has
been at Boston and Philsd ei phia, Louisville,
Chicago and at the Northwest"
H. q. Dun d Co say that the volume oi
trade 10 now fully equal to that Of last year
at this date, and that while iron and
woolen trades have materially decreased,
business In groceries, lumber and farm
products generally Ia large, and COO fidepce
In Improvement at no distant day grows
stronger. This confidence has substap tial
basis In tho crop prospects, which grow
more satisfactory each week. These favor
able statements are confirmed by other
reports, and altogether the business out
look is In marked contrast to that CT lstiDg
In the last presidential year. Then
there was depression In nearly all
parts OF the country. On Wall street
there was q financial crash, tho effects
OF which were felt evsrywbere Confidence
was Impaired by the gigantic swindie Of
Ferdinand Ward and James ID. Fish, and
by the epidemic Of deiaications aud breacbt =
OF trust This year there Ia an entire alb
sence o: these causes OF deprei and
while stock speculation IL narrow, and
there is no brilliant boom In general busi.
ness, yet the movement OF trade Is OF large
volume, financial operations seem to I've ON
solid basis, and the outlook il bright in
spite OF the tariff agitation. Much OF this im-
provement is due unquesliopsbly to the IA
vorabls crop prospects,, % our agricultural
products are tho basis OF cur national pros
pefity, ,thougb,o ,of course, our mineral wealth
aud manufacturing industries are impor.
tant contributors. The wheat and corn
crops are naturally unknown quantities ~
| yet, but II Is undeniabie tina. all tho indi-
cations point to a large yield. Many pre-
| dict that The spring wbeA. crop will bt
larger than ever before Accompanying
these favorable crop prospects at home
| arc reports of bRd weather abroad
Indicating partial failure OF the
wheat yield in England, France and
Italy. The weather this month will deter
mine the amount OF the deficit There wal
a big speculation here this week, based or
tho crop reports from abroad. About 90,-
/ OO0, 600 bushels changed hands In the optic n
trading, and prices advanced 8 cents 4
bnshel. The reports OF improved weather
yesterday and to-day, however, caused ,
reaction. lfthere Is large deficit In th,
crops OF England and France, the Unite,
States will reap the benefit of their misfor
tune by an Increased demand for our " neat
unless the Chicago and New Y ork specula
ton runs mp the price to point that " J
check the export movement. Wehave com
petitors In the wheat market, aud Kussi
aud India are likely to have more wheat l.
| aell this year than last aud this In n c,rcum