The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1896-01-16
W. G. PRESS & CO.,
Grain and Provision Commission Merchants
2 and 4 Sherman St., Chicago.


In their special market letter say:
Our wheat market has, since the war
cloud began spreading over Europe,
been active, erratic and nervous, fluc-
tuating with the rise and fall in Eng.
lish consols, and the tone of the news
from Berlin and South Africa. The
excitement abroad has stimulated the
speculative element of our country,
causing noticeable increase in the
volume of business, with material ad-
dition to the holdings for country ac-
count. On the possibility of war be-
tween England anda Germany in a
great measure, hangs the fate of the
market in the near future; and as no
one can foretell what a day may bring
forth, any prophecy based wholly on
that consideration alone would have to
be subject to revision, and as there are
other factors of more stable nature
lat merit attention, we will avoid the
hanger of making guesses that in few
lays may appear ridiculous by leaving
cash of our friends to guess on the re-
suit of the foreign unpleasantness and
Confine ourselves to discussion of
other features that are wholly of sup
ply and demand nature. We are of
course aware that in the event of the
strained relations between the two
beligerant countries becoming more
acute that, for time at least the spec
ulative demand it would create would
outweigh all other influences. Aside
from the demand created by the
war scare, there has been some buying
in consequence of complaints of the
unsatisfactory appearance III many To-
calities of our growing crop, and re-
ports of the adverse influence of wet
weather in Argentine, which is delay
ing the export movement from that
country. The closing of the chief
Danubian port by ice encourages the
belief that the amount put alloat for
Europe will, for time, decrease in vol
ume and that European markets will
become more stable. If these condi-
tions obtain, wheat bought on any good
break will prove profitable. If the war
scare subsidies, and Northwestern re-
ceipts show the increase promised, the
unloading of long wheat bought under
the stimulus of excitement will doubt
less bring sharp break, in which event
we advise judicious buying for the re-
action which such low prices will GER
tainly bring. War may cause boom,
| DuO lON pllCOo anu lCBllllldlC lilutlCVo
will cause advances from all severe
breaks. We note that the Department
of Agriculture in its last report again
raises its crop estimate, making it prac-
tically correspond with the more rela-
BILE of the private estimates and approx
imating the guess ventured by us as
long ago as last July.
Corn has recently exhibited signs Of
reyiying animation, and promises to
command more attention in the future.
\ few days of advancing quotations
nave increased our receipts, and while
very free movement from the interior
would again depress prices, we believe
| the May future should be bought on
breaks. One of the strongest features
we see in this cereal is the fact that an
immense amount has been cribbed at
prices which will not pay IA profit on
present May quotations, and will there
fore be off the market until a material
advance is secured The same condi-
| tiOn exists in oats, and as we have be-
| fore stated, we believe they should be
bought during periods of depression,
md held as an investment until profit
| is secured.
Hog product has also showed signs of
renewed activity, outside operators hay-
ing been attracted by the moderate re
ceipts of hogs and the improvement l..
prices The war scare has doubtless
| been responsible for much of the activ-
ily manifested. for u European war
would create an active demand for pro-
jisiUns