The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1896-03-07
GUMS COMMERCIAL REVIEW.

February Failures Show Marked Increase
Over Last Year--SOme business Gains in
the West. but No Genera, Increase, While
Prices, Except for Wheat, Which Has
Taken an Upward Flight, are Generally
Lower.
NEW YORK, Feb. 29.-R. G. Dun &
Co. say to-day in their weekly review
Of trade:
Failures in three weeks of February
show liabilities of SiO,s $50, 93G, against
S. OPS last year anu Sll,420,ils IN
1894. Failures for the week have been
27S in the United States, against go
last year and So in Canada, against IS
last year.
In some quarters business gains at
the west, rather than at the east, hut
there is no change for the better al
though hopefulness still prcdominates.
Foreign affairs grow more pacific, pu6-
lie opinion turns more resolutely to-
ward sound money, but the want of
sufficient demand for the products of
great industries still retards actual
improvement. Strikes of some impo--
lance in garment making and kindred
lines affect trade in Chicogo and Balti-
more.
Speculative markets show little life.
The volume of business does not i'm
prove. Exchanges through the prin-
cipal clearinghouse show 1877 per
cent. gaia over last year, but the
months comparison with 1898 is the
only instructive one, AMI shows a de-
crease of 20. for February.
Railroad earnings for the third week
of February exceed last years IS per
cent, and for February thus far have
been lilo PEI cent. greater than last
year.
Stock speculation has been irregular,
and Cuban war talk OF Friday caused
d break in railro DAD stocks, averaging
65 points. Disappointing industrial
statements, together with the general
break, lowered trusts Sl.4S.
Wheat has taken 4 flight upward,
advancing 81 cents for cash and 235
Tor May. with rumors of foreign sup
plies as the only basis. Estimates of
wheat in farmers hands are lower
than last year, but still indicate, with
visible stocks, a supply much beyond
probable needs.
Cotton has been weaker with only
fair receipts, the important decline in
goods having much influence. The
price of m;ddling uplands has de-
clincd a sixteenth and preparation for
Il large increase OF acreage Is still re-
ported.
The market for textile goods is dis
appointing. Material reductions in
cottGns have not brought out the
needed demand and Il further decline
in Lawrence l.. l.. brown shcctings
this week TO 6l5 cents corresponds
with reports that mills of some i'm
portance may prefer to arrest pro-
dhctioa Cor q time unless demand i'm
proves.
Wooden mills are receiving consider
able orders for spring goods. but bust.
ness for the future does not mend. clay
wOrstcd are again shade lower. The
range Tor all wooleuS is scarcely one
per cent. higher than a year ago, al
though wool is more than seven pei
cent. higher, and Il good many mills
are closing or reducing time.
gray forge 20 $l0.75.
Inc demand Tor Ooo.S anu shoes
gains very little.
Exports Of domestic products from
New York for three weeks SHOW Z gain
OF IL per cent. over last year, whi!ci i'm
PORTS in the same time scarcely in
crease. But expor: bills are diminish
ing rapidly at this season, while larger
imports naturally CONE IN succeeding
months, and many security bills nave
TO DC met in the near future. It is
therefore believed by many that gold
Exports are not far OF.