The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1895-12-13
THE STATE OF TRADE.

The general condition or trade in Balti-
more is healthy, but the volume at the mo-
ment is comparatively small. December
is always quiet month, merchants being
usually occupied with stock-taking, closing
of accounts or formulating plans for the
new year. just now out-of-towu buyers
of merchandise are in a conservative mood
because of the recent reactionary tendon
CIV of prices of raw materials, and because
they require some assurance that the in
creased demand for consumption will
prove permanent.
The recent declines in cotton and iron
are leading to a basis of prices on which
buyers and sellers can agree; so that a
new lease OF Improvement in those articles
is already i'll prospect. Colder weather
has already impaired a decidedly better
tone to several branches of business.
The continued depletion of the United
States Treasury by gold exports disturbs
confidence in financial circles; but now
that Congress is in session and the danger
| and the means of relief have been pointed
out by the President, the people reason
! ably expect that the source of business dis
| quiet will be speedily eliminated from the
| situation.
During the past week cotton has declin
ed a small fraction, owing to speculative
liquidation, influenced largely by the fear
of political troubles in Europe. Exports
have increased slightly, but this move
ment up to date is about S75, 900 bales less
than it was during the corresponding per-
iod of 1894.
| Buyers of cotton goods have displayed
greater hesitancy, owing to the irregular
course of the raw material.
| A slight increase in the demand for boots
and shoes is reported, but the movement
is still retarded by lack of confidence in
the stability of prices.
The millinery and notions lines have
been fairly active and values as rule
maintained.
Western wheat has advanced to cent
a bushel, and Southern l cent bushel.
| Corn, on the other hand, has displayed
pronounced weakness and prices of both
Western and Southern close to cent a
bushel less than last week.
Transactions in securities have been lib
eral and values firm. The only exception
has been Baltimore and Ohio common
stock, which closes with net loss of about
per cent, due to bear attack in New
York. Money has been quiet and barely
steady, with offerings on call at 3a4 per
cent. and on time at sac per cent Collec-
tions have been good The retail branches
of trade have shown marked improvement.
Bradstreet's says of business generally:
General trade continues the features of
preceding weeks-smaller volume, quiet
in most lines, business being conducted
conservatively, activity only among deal
ers in woolens, clothing, shoes and hard
ware, and new orders generally of a filing
in character. The season has evidently
having delayed orders until the Christmas
demand and the belated autumn request
came together. Notwithstanding almoot
uniform reports of quiet and unchanged
conditions, it should be noted that Jack
sonville, Augusta and Birmingham, at the
South; Milwaukee, Kansas City and ST.
Louis, at the West, prove exceptions to the
rule, by reporting gains in demand for
wholesale staple goods compared with the
preceding week.