St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-03-08
Why st. Paul Trade. Is Ham
pered in Early Spring
Season.
Ubiquitous Laws and Fear of
Worse Clog the Channels
OF Commerce.
Commercial Agency and In
terest Laws Make Collec-
tionS Close.
What Leading Jobbers Have
to Say of the Outlook for
Spring.

a caretui inquiry made yesterday DY
representative of the GLOBE as to the
spring trade prospects, from the point
of view Of the jobbers and wholesalers
generally, resulted i'll very fair show
ing in all but few branches of bust
ness. In most lines the spring demand
is as brisk as in any previous year, and,
although the general sentiment is that
business should be better, the number of
large orders on hand in every branch
would indicate to man up q tree that
there might easily be greater ground
for complaint than exists. Collections
are slow; so say the majority, and this
is ascribed with absolute unanimity to
the character of several bills before the
legislature which directly affect the
wholesaler. These are the interest
bill. the bill for the regulation
of commercial agencies, the employers
liability act. and a few others. The
passage of the law restricting the oper-
alton of commercial agencies in South
Dakota, which has now been in force
about year. in effect debarred these
agencies from doing business in the
state, and the result is that trade for
with the towns in South Dakota has
been practically wiped out, there being
no safeguard whatever for the houses.
A similar bill has passed the North Da-
kota legislature, and large slice of the
business now done With absolutely
safety on the reports of Dun and
BradStreetS, will have TO be abandoned
with the withdrawal of those agencies
from the state, which, from the proviS-
ions of the act, must necessarily follow.
Business all over the Northwest is
largely done On credit. The whole
Saler trusts the country mer-
chant, who in turn trusts the
farmer. The latter pays when he
feels satisfied that the time has arrived
that will insure him the highest obtain
able price for his crop, and the country
merchant pays when he gets his money,
often. however. being obliged TO give
his note. This year, with a Sagacity
born of familiarity with the makeup of
the present legislature, he refuses to
give his note until action is taken on
the pending interest bill, and the whole
Saler
Has No Alternative
but to await his pleasure or sell him up.
The country dealer ascribes his inability
money of the banks as usual. This is
also ascribed to the uncertainty felt in
all branches of business as to what tho
legislature will do, and the inability
to get collections il is not
thought to be SO much a
matter of poverty with the debtor as a
desire to hold his money until legislat-
i've action has increased its value. The
bill proposing 10 throw the same re-
strlctIOnS about commercial agencies in
Minnesota as exist in the Dakotas. is
looked upon by merchants generally as
the most vicious of all the measures
proposed. The best informed business
men in the town unite in asserting that
both Dun and Bradstreets ag encies
here are simply feeders for the New
York institutions of that name, and
that they spend IS in prosecuting in
quiries Oh behalf of the East, for every
dollar they take i'll locally. Their value
to the wholesaler is beyond calculation,
and their being driven out of this state,
as they have been from the Dakotas,
will be disastrous to all branches of
business.
Expressions OF Opinion
Despite apprehension of future dnll-
ness as a result of the passage Of the
obnoxious measures above discussed.
the spring trade shows no signs OF being
less than normally active. The GLOBE
man called on Strong, Hackett IL Co.
for the state of trade in their line, and
was met with statement that there
were more and heavier orders on hand
than ever before at the same season in
the firms history. Last years business.
said Mr.. Hackett, was . per cent
above that of the year before,
and the indications were that this
year would show an equally large
increase. The firm has just become
settled in new and commodious quarters
on lower Fourth street, occupying the
block from PCS TO $50 inclusive, their
business filling the entire five floors and
basement of the building. The main
office presents dimensions Of 100X13e
feet, and is great improvement over
the old quarters. A house able TO boast
of probable increase of % per cent in
its business for the year cannot com
plain of StagnatiOn.
S. b. Foot, of the firm Of Foot, Schuize
& Co., when asked the outlook fer the
boot and shoe trade, said that there was
no cause for complaint. Business was
normally active and there was prob
ability of an improvement over last
year. Others in the same line gave
similarly satisfactory answer.
P. l.. Hardenbergh & Co, wholesale
leather, reported sales moderate and
collections slow, but were sanguine Of
greater activity later in the month.
Alfred Dufresne, vice president of
the firm of P. Ii. Kelly Il Co, groceries,
said the present month gave evidence
of strengthening in trade circles gen
orally. Kelly Il Co.'S business had been
brisk since March opened. and there
seemed every prospect of an active
season. Collections were not as good
as they might be. but a decided i'm
provement had been developing within
the past two weeks.
Eugene T. Powers. of the Powers Dry
Goods company, reported an active
spring trade, and others in their line
conceded with them. Business in this
line, however, has been seriously af-
fected by the fact that the winter came
too late, and wholesalers suffer with the
country merchants who have been
unable to dispose of the wool
ems and winter goods generally
unioaded on them last fall.
considering as whole, the statements
of the principal dealers, there seems &
probability that the spring and summer
trade in most lines will be at least nor-
NAL. With an improvement in the mat
ter Of collections which is expected to
FoIl obi -