New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-10
MONEY AND BUSINESS.

II Is hardly worth while to search the records
to see when, II ever the present imports at New
York were exceeded. Even in March 1898 when
the aggregate was over $4,000 900 and the larg-
est for any month. there no week in which
the value at New-YOrk reached ST. 900 900; but
last week It was S1S3S2 O19 and for the last two
weeks $50. 1GS lob. and the Senate will probably
wait long enough to even this record sur
passed. The imports Of drygoods were Sj34O-
81. including over 100000 Of woolen goods
81 100000 each of cottons and linens and about
5000, 900 of silk. The imports OF sugar were also
heavy as Of wool, tobacco and hides So the
first week Of May passed with an excess Of i'm
ports exports at New-York Of more than
S11 100000, and while exports from other ports
also large it is probable they have increased
more a NewYork than elsewhere. But it can
no longer be supposed that the current balance
on merchandise account favors this country. on
the contrary, when the certainty that dutiable
imports are enormously undervalued is taken
into account, the outgo of gold not aston
ishing Still, in one sense loan, I'm another
sense it is no more than will have to be paid by
individuals, al one time or another for the goods
they have brought in AS all customs receipts
for the same week amounted to sc, 600, 49l. and
usually average about 40 per cent Of the value
than S16OOO,OOO worth of such goods arrived
during the week at all ports, besides other prod
ucts which will probably he made dutiable.
There was no heavy selling of securities on for
eign account, and for weeks there has not been
enough to cause any disturbance. Attention is
diverted from American stocks, though there
seems to be good buying Of foreign But the de-
lay in recovery of business here probably i'm
presses foreign observers more than Americans
who are constantly reminded that in spite Of the
delay there is recovery. The volume OF pay
ments through all clearing houses in the first
week Of May was nearly per cent more than
last year, and 1i6 less than in 1892. again war
ranting the observation made about the April
figures, that they were relatively the best for
some months When II Is considered that prices
of all commodities average IA per cent lower
than May !, 1892. the difference In volume Of
business measured in value appears surprisingly
smah Nor are prices now quite as low on the
whole as they were about April r.
Wheat gained in the week only three quarters
of a cent. and remains below 80 cents for the
May option Notwithstanding many speculative
reports The visible supply is indeed about y.
100000 bushels smaller than a year ago but
the surplus carried last year was much
greater than that quantity and the sudden rise
when the war broke out was well calculated to
encourage farmers 10 hold as far as they could
Western receipts last week were 2}4S 6OJ bush
els. against 2,202,972 last year. and Atlantic
exports were larger. .i9S l67 bushels. -four in
cluded, against 1,0iOl67 last year. There is
also some wheat loading at Portland and San
Francisco. The exports last week were
considerably smaller than usual Of late. and stu