The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1890-12-29
Big Holiday Trading Shows
General Prosperity in
the Masses.
Az No Time Has Labor Bsen So
Fully Employed as in the
End OF 1890.
Prospects Throughout the North
west Are Brighter, With Great
Stringeney at Salt Lake.

progressed as well rs could be, expected
In week broken by the Christmas hOli.
days and gre ). snow storm. The holi.
day trade was remarkably heavy here
and at nearly oil other points good, which
is by no means evidence that the tight
ness OF the money market springs from
any general embarrassment of business
or industry. The volume OF payments
through the banks continues larger,
though but about per cent
larger than a year ago. Railroad
earnings thus far reported for December
show q gain OF about 4 per cent over
those OF the same weeks last year. For
eign trade Is very heavy, In spite OF
causes which were expected TO insure
material decrease. The uncertainty in
regard 20 monetary legislation and It's
possible effects Is still great obstacle,
but even this has less disturbing infiu-
ence than IL had week or two ago, as
the prospect of unwise action seems more
remote. The money markets have gen.
orally grown easier. during the past
week, not only In the east, but at some
Of the western and southern centres.
Reports from other cities disclose no
important change In the condition of
trade. Wholesale business naturally
slackens and Is quiet At this point in the
year and the indisposition to act Is rather
increased by the hardness OF collections.
AT Boston prospects are considered bet
ter for the trade In wo0len and cotton
goods. The conditions ut other eastern
cities have been not essentially different,
though at PtttsbnTg Bessemer iron has
sold at Sl6.25, the lowest price for the
year, and all pig iron II at bottom prices.
Manufactured iron is m faiI demand
aud rails unchanged. The flint
glass trade Is quite active, with
fewer hands Idle than for months
past, aud the window glass trade IL
fair. AT points further west expectation
Of Improvement after Jan. II general,
though the trade Ii quiet In wholesale
lines, but fully up 10 last years At
Kansas City the trade is quite good, but
cattle and hog receipts are light At
Lincoln. Neb., business exceeds that OF
last year. though fears of state legisla-
tton against lenders tends to increase the
prevailing striusUuUy. ~ Desfr". s-~
demand for money IL lighter ana tne
supply equal to legitimate needs. NJ
salt Lake the money market Is extremely
close and the outlook unsatisfactory. At
other points I'm the northwest the none
tary situation seems rather better.
some Improvement. Manufacturers at
LOnlsyIlle are fully employed. though
money Is very close. Trade at Atlanta
improves. Cotton Is moving more salts
factorily aud at Galveston receipts ex-
ceed those of last year. New Orleans
reports fair trade, larger receipts of
Gotten, the crop being there estimated at
7, 700, 900 bales, and good receipts OF
sugar and molasses with steady prices.
ThroughOut the south the fictitious
prices maintained last summer aud fal-
for cotton have caused some embarrass-
ment. being followed by the inevitable
decline as the magnitude of the crops
became known, but more than 5.OOO,OOo
have already passed out of the hands OF
producers, mainly at fair prices. IL Is
especially encouraging, that, thus Tar,
there has been so little EmDar-
rassment and so few failures
among the important manufacturing
works recently established ia that sec
ton White the situation OF the iFeH
and steel industry shows no improve
-saaetstS the fart tiIat the closing weeks of
the year are passing without any serious
setback gives encouragement. There Is
anxiety as TO the demand which may ap-
pear with the new year, since 10 IL gen
orally perceived that many works must
remain idle for time unless there II
decided increase In consumption. For
most finished products the consumption
il even now so great that In any previous
year 10 would have been considered esAt-
nently satisfactory. The exception Is
the steel rail business, In which crisis
and destructive competition seems immi-
neat, provisional agreement made dur
ing the past week tn this city having
been defeated by the refusal OF an east
ern mill 20 sign.
The w0olen manufacturers are clearly
enjoying d larger demand for most prod
ucts since the importatiOns were checked,
but as yet no considerable improvement
In prices has been found practical. The
readIustment OF prices In the boot and
shoe and leather industries seems 10 be-
progressing fairly, with leis prospect OF
any serious embarrassment
ON the whole labor has never been
more fully employed than In the latter
part Of 1880.
The monetary situation grows more
satisfactory, because treasury dlsbnrse-
ments continue and arrivals OF gold have
given aid and the enormous excess Of
merchandise exports over imports
n felt. III three weeks Of December ex.
poras from New York have been
per cent. greater than last year, which
would indicate heavier exports than IN
any previous months, while the increass
in exports has been hut 2 per cent
These facts point To an excess OF ex
ports "a large as the S37, 600. 600 Of las
December, and In November the excess
Of exports over imports was more thai
s25, ,000, 600.
There has nOt been much aetiyitl
in speculation this week, though corr
has fallen from 2ac aud cat
ic and cotton 3-l6c. Wheat IL *
higher, coffee Ac and oil 4i4e
The stock market has been left 10 On
professionals, who have chosen TO d
but little until the new year hns beguT
Ii Is by al classes believed that the moF
etary pressure win cease afur Jan.
for time and II no disturbing lsglsii