The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1897-06-30
NO STEP BACKWARD.
Gradual Improvement Continues In
the Business World.
business Men Exhibit Much Conf
dencc I'm the Future-No Great
Change Anticipated, However,
Before Congress Adtourns.

| New York. June 26.-R. G. Dun & Co.,
in their weekly review of trade, say;
."Tbere Is no step backward in bus,,4ess,
! although the season OF midsummer quiet
Is near Improvement continues. gradual
| and prudently cautious as before. although
| in many branches evident where no signs
| OF Il appeared a few weeks ago. Business
men of the highest standing In all parts
OF the country, having gradually perceived
| that the tide has begun to rise, are regulat-
| ing their contracts and investments and
| their plans for the future with confidence
quite unknown TO them short time ago.
| Great changes before the adjournment OF
! congress are hardly TO be expected, but re-
| moval OF uncertainty Is with reason ex-
| pected to bring into operation buying forces
| which have been restricted for months.
Crop Prospects Brighter.
1.-The main factor at this time is the
| steadily Frightening prospect for crops.
| Harvesting of wheat has already begun
| in some winter wheat states. with a}D1bfis-
| ing good results in the central region and
| California. so that $780, 900 tons Is now called
the minimum from the latter state. and the
statisticians of repute calculate on 60.000,-
| 900 bushels of winter wheat beyond the
government estimate. Spring wheat is do
| ing remarkably well. with a practically
| unknown increase Of acreage. The price
has advanced III cents during the week.
There is encouraging increase In the
demand for all textile goods. even for cot
tons, which have so long been slow, and
though II is but moderate, there Is MOTH
ing OF speculative character In the trans
actions, and prices are firmly held. Re-
orders for woolens have been rather bet
ter than were expected from clothiers and
fairly good from dress goods. Operations.
In spring goods are still deferred. While
mills are somewhat better employed and
are buying to some extent.
Failures for the week have been PIG IN
the United States, against 217 last year,
and "a in Canada. against "a last year."
Bradstreets View of the Situation.
Bradstreet's says:
1.-The persistent Misrepresentation OF the
actual state of trade throughout the coun--
| try during the past month in an apparent
| endeavor to make the prospective improve
ment In business appear to be its present
| condition. demands an examination as to-
| the facts, and Bradstreet's presents con-
densed results OF interviews with repre-
sentative manufacturers and merchants.
at more than so important commercial and
| Industrial centers east of the Rocky noun
| tains. The demand, except In a few lines,
| is less pronounced than IL was two months
| ago. There Is no material increase In the
| volume distributed compared with year
| ago. and prices for many staples are lower.
| But there has been an Improvement COM
| pared with the situation prior to the pres
idential election OF 1896 and contrasted
with last January Many of the larger
merchants ana nnanuldcturers cndrdcler-
| ize the business record for the first half
OF 1897 as a disappointment In contrast
| with anticipations In December, 1896. On
| the other hand, confidence Is widespread
! in a revival OF demand this fall. OF the
| three great manufacturing industries, iron
| and steel, cottons and woolens. the first
| shows relatively most improvement and
| woolens next. although tariff delays have
taken the edge off demand in that line and
| permitted importers TO stock up with near
| ly two years supplies. Cotton goods will
ton and heavy production. There is q
better demand for silks, millinery and con-
| fectionery, which, aside from the prosper
| ity OF the bicycle industry. constitute ex-
| ceptions. Higher prices for leading cereals.
| for meats and Havana tobacco are note
worthy, and reflect, respectively. UNUSUAL
ly small supplies OF wheat and strength OF
the control OF the meat supply and existing
conditions In Cuba