Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1896-04-28
IMPROVES TRADE.
Influence Of Seasonable Weather on
Business World.
Money Market and Foreign Com
merce Show a More Favor
able Situation.

New York, April s5.-R. G. Dun &
Co., in their weekly review of trade,
say: ~
Business has been favored by se2son-
able weather and the distribution of'prod-
ucts has made fair progress, not yet re-
ducing retail or wholesale stocks far
enough, however, to materially improve
the position of industries. Money markets
have grown more favorable. as well as the
state of foreign commerce, ana untll an
apparently groundless revival of discus
sion about the Venezuela difficulty there
was brighter prospect of European IN
yestments here. The belief that agita-
ton for cheap money will be permanent!
ly laid at rest this year Is gaining grounu,
and in financial quarters causes more con
fidence for the future. Prices of commodi-
ties are on the whole lower than ever be-
FORE having declined about two per cent.
since April and II per cent. since July, 1851,
or October, 1892 The fall in manufactured
products is little less than 1t was April l,
but in farm products greater.
Speculation is swayed by trining In
auences when markets are very narrow.
The recent. advance checked buying OF
wheat for export, and Atlantic exports Tor
the week were only 1.o1S,254 bushels, hour
included, against 1,76S,S73 last year. While
western receipts were 2,09i,557 bushels,
against 1975,40S last year. With generally
fair prospects as to winter wheat the price
dropped about two cents, nearly halr tho
rise early in the month based on gloomy re-
ports. Corn receipts continue heavy and
the price is shade lower. A single enter
prising buyer was able to push up the price
of cotton an eighth though the progress OF
planting gives promise of a large Yield, ana
the receipts continue as large as IN 1898,
though about $4,000 bales larger for the
year thus far.
Cotton goods were bought less freely
last week and the northern mills have
taken scarcely any cotton this month. The
feeling is more hopeful because retail trade
is better. The situation In wooden goods
does not improve. The large orders taken
for boots and shoes when prices were : y
duced to last years lowest, more than
month ago, results in shipments nearly
equal to last years; in April thus far live
per cent. less, but new orders are not now
coming freely except for Immediate de-
livery to fill out broken stocks. Leather Is
weaker, with heavy sales averaging about
three per cent. lower for the week, al
| though hides at Chicago are shade
stronger. Neither pig iron nor manufac-
| tured goods have improved IN demand Is
| yet.
Failures for the week have been 23s in
the United States, against 23O last year,
| and "A in Canada, against 81 last year."
Feeling More Hopeful.
Bradstreet's says:
1.-THE feeling is more hopeful at many
| trade centers, owing to continued improve
ment of demand in retail lines. better
weather, generally favorable crop pros
| poets and the activity which naturally fol-
lows renewed building operations, distri-
button of implements and farm supplies
| and attendant activity. More favorable
reports from commercial travellers are
| from those representing Pittsburgh. St
Louis, Kansas City, Omaha and Milwau'
kee houses. Moderate Improvement is
| shown at a few other western centers
| but at most of the larger distributing
points throughout the country the move
ment of merchandise, on the whole, shows
no material change"