Wiarus. (Winona, Minn.) 1886-1893, 1890-12-11
TRADE AND INDUSTRY.
The Conditions Throughout the Country
Show IL Marked Improvem ent.

5noN IL haTkeu improve IN mt. -as
The general trade and industrial conditions
throughout the country during the year have
shown n marked Improvement. For many
years prior to 1883 the merchandise balances of
foreign trade had been largely in our favor, but
during that year and the year following they
turned against lis. 1t is very gratifying to know
that the last fiscal year again shows a balance
in our favor of over SOS, OOO,OOO. The bank
cIcarings. which furnish a good test of the vol
une of business transacted, for the first ten
months OF the year 1890 show, as compared
with the sam months OF 1889. an increase for
the whole country of about S.4 per cent, while
the increase outside of the city OF New York was
over - per cent. During the month of October
the c.earings Of the whole country showed an
increase of 81 per cent over October. 1889,
while outside of New York the increase was 1lss
per cent. These figures show that the increase
i'll the volume of business was very general
throughout the country. That this larger bust
Hess was being conducted upona safe and profit
able basis is shown by the fact that there were
500 less failures reported in October, 1890, than
in the same months OF the preceding year. with
liabilities diminished by about $1,000 900.
The value OF our exports OF domestic me r.
cllandise during the last year was over Sl15.-
oOD,OUO greaterthant the preceding year, and was
only exceeded once in our history. About
500. 900 900 of this excess was in agricultural
products. The production OF pig ir~or-aiwaysa
good gauge OF general prosperity-ls shown by a
recent census bulletin TO he s1S.53 per cent
greater III 1890 than i'll 1880. and the produc-
ton Of steel 200 per cent greater, Mining in
coal has had no limitation except that resulting
from deficient ira nsportation. The general tes-
timony Is that labor is everywhere fully ems
pIoled, and the reports for the last year show al
smaller number OF employees affected by strikes
aud lockouts than in any year since 1884. The
depression III the prices OF agricultural products
had been greatly relieved and a buoyant and
hopeful tone was beginning TO be felt by all our
people.
These promising influences have been in some
degree checked by the surprising and very ur-
favorable monetary events which have recently
taken place in England. 1t is gratifying to know
that these did not grow in any degree out of the
financial relations of London with our people
or out of any discredit attached to our secur1-
ties held in that market. The return of our
bonds ana stocks was caused by a money strin-
gency III England, not by any, loss OF value or
credit in the securities themselves. We could
not. however. wholly escape the i'll effects OF i;
foreign monetary agitation accompanied by
such extraordinary incidents as characterized
this. 1t is not believed. however. that these
evil incidents. which have for the time, ~unfayor.
ably affected values in this country, Gan long
withstand the strong. sale, and wholesome in
tiuences VIII CHI are opsrating to give the people
profitable returns III TIL Aranches of legitimate
trade industry. Misrepresentation that our tar
III may be subjected TO important general
changes would undoubtedly add IA depressing iR-
iuence OF the most serious character.