New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-02-04

Corn is about cents lower than week ago,
though Western receipts are not quite half OF
last years. while exports are insignificant Cot
ton has declined sixteenth during the week,
and is only sixteenth above the lowest price
recorded: but 9737s9 bales came into sight in
January. against 752O27 in the same month OF
1899 after the crop of over 100000 bales, and
there seems to be no reason as yet to suppose
that the Weld last year will be less than 100000
bales greater than in 1891. Exports are larger,
but stocks in this country and abroad are re-
markably heavy
The best that can be said Of the great indus
tries Is that they hold their own surprisingly We'll
considering the dstrust in the money market ana
the general depression OF business In the iron
and steel industry there is a much better tone al
pittsburp and at the West, with some advance In
Bessemer iron and bets. though Grey Forge Is
Iower In plates and rails nothing Is reported,
but there are heavy transactions In wire ana
uire nails fair business in structural iron and I'M
usuaI,v good in bars At the East, however the
tone is less favorable and the failure OF 'he eH-
pected Improvement is vexatious. The increased
demand observed early in January mas passeo
away, and in finished products there is closer
scrutiny of qualities The shipments OF ooots ana
shoes from the East as given by The Shoe ana
Leather Reporter" amounted for the month OF
January to 32S.646 cases, against 3O4,ls1 IN the
same month OF 1899 being the largest for That
month in any year thus far; but this hardly indi-
Gates the present condition Of the business. be-
cause the attempt to advance prices. in CORE
spondence with the advance in leather. has
brought so great decrease in orders for the
future that quite large proportion Of the works
seem to be about ready to shut down. In the es-
han oul goods which
not been advanced in price. the orders are con-
siderably less than in previous years, but still fair
in quantity.
The woollen manufacture is doing remarkably
we'll if sales OF wool are safe indication FOR at
the three chief Eastern markets the sales for the
year thus far amount to 2Sl57065 pounds against
% 7271 80 two years ago. when sales were the
largest on record. But large purchases nave peeh
made because prices were low. and were not ex-
pected to go lower and many manufacturers nave
boueht I'm advance without waiting for orders for
goods in the belief that they will be able TO use
wool advantageously in future. II Is well known
that the actual consumption In the mills has been
not more than three-quarters Of the capacity.
The worsted and the medium priced woolien
goods seem to be doing quite well In comparison
with foreign goods while the higher priced goods
are still In quite uncertain state. But ID the
goods or lower grace tne enoTlnDus iHPOito VI
shoddy. at prices far below any that American
manufacturers can make for honest goods, begin
10 show the effect Of the removal Of duties gradu-
ated by weight
So far the year has not been dscouraging In
point OF failures. which have been moderate for
the month OF January. and in amount OF liabili-
ties less than half last years "Duns Review"
states the aggregate OF liabilities for twenty-four
days Of January as 900, against $25sl1s0
for twenty-sx days of January last year. only
s2479 1893 being Of manufacturing concerns, against
1874 $50 last year and Ss.l652s7 Of trading con-
Germs against sl%7 1858 last year 1t Is noticed
that there Is very heavy decrease In failures OF
manufacturing concerns. and this Is the more re-
markabe because In that direction rather than
any other the stress during the last year seems
to have been unusually great. But the extraord-
nary caution exercised In all branches OF bust
ness and particularly in orders for future dev-
cry has enabled most Of the solvent concerns 10
escape disaster this year. although II Is notorious
that many have not been able to escape serious
losses. II is probable that business IL done with
an extremely low margin OF profits, but II Is
nevertheless encouraging fact that transac-
lions have resulted in comparatively small fall
ures for the year thus far.