The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-01-01
! BUSINESS BAROMETER.
Index to the Condition Of Trade
Generally,
l. NEW YEAR BUSINESS PROSPECTS
! cd Outlook for Improved Spring Trade
To Prevent Ano hsr Treasury
Kaid-T. ade Notes.
Office OF The Post,


In business circles all eyes are turned
pefully towards the new year. TRADE
ring the past year has not been M to
pectations. but everything points 10 an
provement the coming spring, whicn
III doubtless be followed by uuli SUM
er and one of the busiest faiis ever seen
this section of the country. Inc ou.
biz for good spring trade is based upon
Il belief that the farmers of the country
IN nrenare for large crops and that Their
for supplies and labor VIII
h&t a great deal of money into circulation.
lNerv few Texas farmers will ask ad-
,,Spces the coming season. as nearly all
q me out this year with a big surplus.
~ Dir cotton was raised at less expense
for many years and netted than n
larger profit While they have spent
b,paratively little money during the past
months and may sDeni less IN Jan IN
Ia a marked change will be seem Tn
Ii cause an Improvement in the ira le
interior towns and Will naturally de-
Hop an increased demand Tor goods at
|hoiesale. centers like II -uston.
#The advance in cotton which was begun
8day and which is generally expected to
bntinue for some time, VIII also nav
bar. Cotton prices had d.cl.ned RAPID y
n The past two weeks and the merchan $
interior towns were beginning to feel
! Their gloomy as to the GU look. MANY of
en- had large stocks, which wero bong ut
high prices, and IL they had been COM
ellcd TO close out would have done so st
hig loss Now there Is every indication
nat prices will show a marked im-rove-
hcnt and perhaps enable holders to. sci
i profit. This will impart n healthier
cling TO general trade and enablf in
erior merchants to increase their spring
riders.
TO PROTECT THE TREASURY.
In discussing the recent panic in Wal
etreet, Henry Clews, the well known New
Hork banker. says: THE time has now
arrived for the banks to do all they can to
protect the United States treasury from
periodical gold drains and they can easily
bio it by an understanding amongst them
tolves--to make 1t less easy for their deal
prs TO draw greenbacks from them to get
gold from the treasury If the greenbacks,
when demanded, are paid out In sma
PILLS over the counter, requiring each bin
10 be counted Def re leaving the bank, and
Hhen counted again at the treasury, and
Ahe gold given therefor also pad cut over
She counter r qriring to be count d by the
1eceiver, 1t would not be go easy or agree
Able matter 10 draw Id ON the treas
alry The banks of England. France and
Germany put all the obstacles possible in
IN large amounts to sand out of tn ii
countries, while In this country we have
always. done exactly the opposite. The
Banks have furnished the facilities by Civ
'lng. areenbacks in large quantiti 8. when
CALLED for, which are pre- sented to ths
4reastry as received from the banks and
4he government gives gold in exchange
Hilmost instantly in bags with she govern.
9ments seal on, the amount being off allv
marked thereon. These bags as race' we'd
from the treasury are put on shipboard
sand depart from our country seriously tc
Jour detriment in times Ike these"
BUSINESS FAILURES.
Failures for the past week In the United
States number 800. and In Canada 49, to.
tai 1852, against 400 the preceding week
and 391 the corresponding week last year
of which $50 were in the United States
and Al in Canada. In the following table
from Dun's Review. is given the total
number of failures reported from each
srct on of The United States the past week
ponding week last year:
Dec. 90, '95. Dec. 10 '95. Dec 81 '9i