New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-05-27
BUSINESS BAROMETER SLOW
WHAT THE LOANS OF THE NATIONAL
BANKS SHOW.
FAIL. TO INDICATE GREAT PROSPERITY. Put ARE
SLIGHTLY ENCOURAGING FOR THE FUTURE
THE LAST TWO MONTHS SHOW RE-
IIEr FROM CONGESTION.

THE LAST TWO MONTHS SHOW RE-
LIEF FROM CONGESTION.
rBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBuNE.l
Washington. May 26-That usually trustworthy
business barometer the National Bank system, fais
to record the presence or approach OF the next p"s
ness boom which, the Democratic hypnotists wouio
have the country believe, has appeared. Reports
Of the condition Of the National banks In all the
large cities In the country on May z, except those
~ tho Pacific States are IN the hands Of the Con-
troller OF the Currency. compilation or these re-
ports from twenty cities shows only about on per
cent gain In loans and discounts as compareu WI"
one wear ago The loans and discounts Vi .'''
banks Of the country are considered an in'",u"o'o
index TO the business condition. IL they are hea'y
4, IL considered a sign OF business activity III they
are light the reverse is considered Ihat tnis VIC"
is correct ore Is shown by the ract .na'' ""'e
the loans and discounts OF the Natlohai o"""' Vi
the country increase with the growth oi popu'a
ton and business at the rate of about per cent
year. they fell off enormously in the years 1870 anu
1894. , n,
The returns from the banks in New oiN' H
ton Philadelphia Chicago. Pittsburg' zinc
cleveland ST. Louis. st. Paul. Minneapolis MI
waukee Detroit Omaha, Kansas CITY New-or-
leans Baltimore Brooklyn, Washington Albany
and Louisville in hand. and complla.lon "a
their returns gives pretty accurate view OF DUST
ness conditions everywhere. except IN 'he eN'e'ie
West The result is not as cheering as '"e 'a'N
Of business activity would seem 10 indicate roi
these twenty cities the loans and discounts OF the
National banks reported at sSo""''"o asa'"''
100000 year ago. sSio'c'Vv '"o 'e e
and s99l, 100000 three years ago ...o.
To he sure the figures for May, 1895. are sS3ct'on
moro than those for May 1894 but this is still SSl-
oo 600 less than in May. 1892 while the population
~ the country has increased nearly 10 per cent IN
tho mean time. The loans and discounts OF 'he
National banks Of the country as whoe nave
Increased from ) tc IS per cent year during the
last twenty years. the only years IN "hich '"es
have failed to make an increase beihs 1904 anu
1909 The average increase from natural CROWN
Of nonulation and business is about per cent
YEAR while the growth in the last year was pu'
o. a- cont in the twenty cities named, the aggre-
-. ha,re still per cent below that OF three
years ago. 49, .,. -, ..a
Increase has been within the last two months Inc
rsnort of March s showed in the twenty cities IN
question total Of ss3S 100000 of loans ana discounts
60 ,ba, the increase of the two months between the
two repor,s was quite gratifying II is 10 De hoteu
also in this relation there was marked increase III
the money circulation Of the country IN 'he no"''''
of March and April Of the present year Ihere was
according TO the reports Treasury an increase
Of more than 49, 900 600 in March and over s5.""""
In April The amount OF money in circular reported
nv the Treasury March was N,oI4.o3i.oo ana on
May / N,5S 4S4,ld
Another somewhat favorable sign in the returns
now coming in from the National banks Is an indica
ton that the congestion OF money at the busi-
ness centres s somewhat relieved. 1t Is assumed
that when the reports Of the banks show iarge
On hand lax S they are
from the cities in GuessSsn2 sn9w 'n ae
vear ago which may be assumed 70 indicate
heaithful reduction Of the congestion and SLOW
condition Of prosperity which the reports from these
banks and cities showed before the eIec,oa
financial distress.