Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1894-12-27
BUSINESS OUTLOOK.
T. tde Hampered by Uncertain
Financial Legislation.
Mild Weather Causes Poor Holiday Bush
ness at Most Points-A Glance at
the Situation in Many
Lines of Trade.

NEW YORK, Dec. 22.-h. u. Dun q
Co. S Weekly Review of Trade says:
But for the large exports of gold and I'M
certainty about financial legislation the indi-
cations would be more encouraging. Some in
crease is seen in orders given to manufactur-
ing works, though until the year ends the force
actually at work naturally diminishes. The
holiday trade has been rather poor at most
points partly owing TO mild weather. There
is distinctly more confidence shown about the
future demand for industrial products, though
prices are not better.
Exports Increase.
Domestic exports increased little. though
exportable staples are not better in price. In
November the excess of merchandise exports
over imports was SEE, 57Ss9i besides 81 e3l 0sl
silver and December returns indicate
as large an excess. For this reason
the exports OF S5332,071 in gold since
last Friday and the Withdrawals OF about
three times as much gold from the treasury,
are the more noticed. Money continues to ao-
cumulate here, and there is no enlargement ia
the legitimate demand tor commercial loans,
though some offerings of paper, apparently 70
prepare for yearly settlements have excited
remark.
Wheat, Corn and Cotton.
Prices of agricultural products do not inn
prove. Wheat is unchanged for the week
Corn fell cents for the week. Cotton has de-
clined sixteenth, to 3 SO cents. and receipts
from plantations continue larger for December
than in 1891, when the crop was over 100000
bales The theory that producers will not
market at current prices does not fit the facts
Large orders for manufactured products
have appeared and yet, except in boots and
shoes, the general tendency of prices is down
ward.
Gold Withdrawals.
THE Withdrawals of gold from the treasury
an .aon -
and are attributed in part to replacement Of
bank receipts. which were reduced by the pur-
chase of bonds Yet it is plain that the desire
of foreigners to get gold instead of stocks, and
of Americans to get gold instead of notes, rap
idly takes from the treasury whatever was
gained by selling bonds.
The Failure Record.
Failures have been somewhat more import
ant, the reported liabilities for the second
week of December amounting to S2,7l460 and
for two weeks OF December the aggregate has
been Cd, 4s0 401, of which manufacturing liabili-
ties were 81 ia and the trading liabilities
S4U7l529. But last year the liabilities in failures
of the same two weeks were &1i 1879, 996. Of
which no less than s., ia 494 were of manufac-
turing and only S., S0l. 7s4 of trading concerns.
The failures for the past week have been 349
in the United States against 344 last year and
SO in Canada, against 81 last year"
AS 1t Appears to Bradstreet.
Bradstreet's says:
THE volume Of general trade continues
small, as expected from evidences Of shrink
age within the month. Unusually mild un-
Seasonable weather continues to check distri-
button Of coal. heavy clothing, shoes and rub
Der goods northwest, south and throughout
the central western and eastern states al
though at larger cities the favorable reports as
to holiday goods and speeialties at retail are
for the great part the outcome of bright mild
weather
"Joboers and other wholesalers as a rule re-
port commercial travellers of the road. and
that little is doing except TO take account of
stock. The outlook for trade after the holt
days Is lair, although larger Chicago dealers
report stocks on hand larger than expected,
except amyng jewellers, who have unexpected
ly enjoyed heavy trade
From dozen of the more important west
ern and northwestern trade centers distribu-
ton OF staples is reported quiet or moderate
in volume except from Cincinnati, where there
is a slight gain Collections are only
fair at Detroit Omaha and KANSAS
City, but at Chicago and st. Louis
they are more prompt Demand for
funds at Chicago, as Ut ouffalo, has made the
market hrmer packers being relatively best
borrowers Dealers in furs and jobbers in
most staples at Detroit. Minneapolis, st. Paul
and Milwaukee report that this, the mildest
December for many years, has greatly inter
fered with trade