The Portland daily press., 1894-01-27
WHAT OF THE TARIFF !?
The Question Now Preventing the
Revival Of Trade.
FEW FAILURES OF THE LAST YEAR
DUE TO DISHONESTY.

The Proportion of Fraud Was Less than in
Is92-Lack of Capital and the Finan-
cial Depression the Great Causes-Lew-
iston, Me-, One of the Centers Report
ing Improved Business Conditions
The Weeks Commercial History.
New York, January 26. 6.-Bradstreet's
tomorrow will say: "The improvement
in industrial and commercial lines here
tofore reported continues to grow moder-
ately. Dress woolens are quiet, though
spring styles have opened. Eastern cot
ton mills are active, but the product is
not selling freely. Aside from the de-
pressing influence of an unprecedentedly
low range of prices for leading staples,
the heavy drag on general trade now is
the uncertainty as to the outcome of
tariff legislation. The enormous .accu-
mutations of loanable funds at New York
and the continuance of the inflow of cur
rency prevent the improvement in trade
being as perceptible at the centre as else
where, although the metropolitan bank
ing interests are more cheerful. Boston
and building enterprises there are
favored by the mild weather. Shoe
manufacturers report continued improve
ment. Exports of wheat in the United
States and Canada, both coasts, -four
included as wheat, equal 2, ,947, 900 bushels
this week, sixteen per cent more than in
the week year ago."
failures the report says: Lack of cap
ital, the direct effect of the financial
crisis, Incompetence and the fraudulent
disposition of property account for eighty
per cent of tine failures of last year and
the year before. The proportion of fail
ures due to speculation outside of geu-
eral business, personal extravaganza,
fraudulent disposition of property and
undue competition was smaller in 1893
than in 1873.
R.G.D Dun & Co. IS review OF trade says:
Secretary Carlisle's decision to issue
bonds and the early reports of large bids
for them helped to accelerate industries
and trade, as hoped last week. The sale
of the amount offered will check anxiety
about the mainten ance OF the note re-
demption, remove the only pretext for
further issues of paper, and thus give
solid. basis for greater confidence regard
ing the financial future. The revenue is
still small, from customs in January
thus far being $40. .S05. SOL, against $19,-
$50. .6S5 last year, and from internal
taxes, So, 4s7, ,979, against 81, ,G68, 49S
Bank clearings of the week at fifty
four cities are nine per cent smaller than
in the preceding week, and thirty one esspel
cent smaller than in the week of last
year. The sudden and severe change in
the weather has checked shipments oil
merchandise at many western and north.
western points, although orders for sea-
sonable goods in many instances have in
creased with cold and storm. The stocks
of general merchandise at.interior points,
almost without exception, remain light,
although purchases from jobbers, gener.
ally for nearby wants, aggregate con-
siderable volume. Not the least signifi-
can't thing is the increasing dem and for
loans at Chicago banks The more con-
spicuous increases in sales by jobbers are
of dry goods, clothing, shoes and hats.
Improvement in the industrial situation
is reported from Lewiston, Maine,
Newark and Pittsburg."