Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-05-13
An Enoourasinr Du.iness situation.

y
Last weeks review of the business
situation throughout tho country by r.
@. Dun g. Co., was unusually en-
couIaging. They report that for April
the actual sales By leading houses IN
each line of business in the principal
cites east of tho Rocky Mountains
average only about per cent less than
in April, 1892, the year of largest BUSH
ness hitherto, and were 6I per cent
more than in the same month last year.
Yet this 10 the summary of 357 reports,
each covering actual sales of leading
merchants in a line Of business in one
OF fourteen cities, which are given by
cities and by different branches of
trade in this issue. They are especially
encouraging in view Of the great fall of
prices within the five years, and the
exceptional floods and other retarding
Influences this year. While speculative
business in nearly all lines ia small,
and does cot swell clearing house
returns as in previous years. the
volume of legitimate trade shows no
corresponding decrease, and the fact is
one of the highest Importance in all
business calculations. Moreover, re-
turns of failures for April by branches
OF business, given only by the Mer-
camille Agency, SNOW decrease in num-
Der, amount and average of liabilities
in almost every branch OF trade, and
in nearly all branches OF manufacture
except cotton, although failures of five
New Bedford mills for 81, 300, 1874 make
the total defaulted liabilities for the
month 40 per cent larger than last
year, 60 FER cent larger than in 1895
and SO per cent larger than 1894.
In their review of the speculative
markets for last week, Dun q Co. re-
port that there is less apprehension, and
less occasion for it, than there was a
week ago. Production in some lines SO
exceeds demand that prices are much
depressed, and in one or two lines
there is even curtailment of output,
though in general the gradual ex-
pansion continues, and is still supported
by slowly increasing consumption.
Crop prospects are little better for
cotton because of the passing of the
floods and the increase of acreage else
where. and for spring wheat because
the customary accounts of injury to
winter whe,t begin to appear and
stimulate larger sowing of spring wheat
as usual. Western receipts continue
larger than last year, 2. 3iS, Cos bushels
against 2, 208, 972, and Atlantic exports
also increase, amounting to LABS, 167
bushels, -four included, against l,04O,
167 last year. The weeks exports Of
corn. 2,725, 043 bushels, are smaller
than in other recent weeks.
The Augusta, Georgia, Chronicle
reports that 8 there will be at th.
ond of the present season, il the mill
continue to run at the rate Of average
consumption, u smaller stock of cottor
on hand than has been the case for {
number of years, and in addition Il
this there will be the necessary uncer.
tainty of the Mississippi Valley croI
because Of the late start resulting from
the overdowed rivers and submerged
lands. The possibility of an earl,
frost or the injury that would result
from a rainy fall introduce factors o
uncertainty into this years crop which
added to the small stocks on hand, will
maintain prices at living figures TO
the farner.'' ...-
On account of these conditions th
Chronicle urges the farmers of tn
South to plant ample food crops, a
there is almost an absolute certaint
of good and profitable markets for them
All things considered, bushes
throughout the country is in fairl
good shape. in spite OF the restrictiv
influence of u tariff tinkering Corgres
in special session. And If the Congress
could only be induced to let the tarii
alone. and give some sober attention t
reforming the financial system of th
country, there would be nothing to pre-
vent an era of general prosperity fo
years to come.
The Treaty Not Ratified.
The arbitration treaty with Grea