The Topeka state journal., 1897-03-13
A BRIGHT FUTURE
Is FOreshadOwed by Both Brad
street and Dun.
Expanding Consumption and
Steady Prices.
IMPROVED EARNINGS
OF Railways and Widespread
Confidence
Eno&nTsnG nf
Are Mentioned as Features of
the Weeks Business.

New YORK, Marcn 4os-BIa4SLE0GL .
says today:
Continued activity in various indus
trial lines, based on an expanding con-
sumptive demand, fairly steady prices
for staples, further improvement in
railway earnings and widespread con-
fidence that the volume of business
will expand materially in the near fu-
ture, constitute the trade features Of
the week.
Spring demand has begun to show it
self with retailers. There is a better in
quiry for shoes, hats and clothing and
for light hardware and agricultural i'm
plements west and southwest.
Industrial revival has been offset in
instances by the closing of factories and
mills and in others by continued opera
tion dependent upon paying reduced
wages.
Offerings of cotton goods have been
in excess of demand. Wool continues
active and firm in price, but manufac-
turers are buying sparingly- The cen
trail west reports that distribution of
general merchandise was interrupted by
floods and waShouts.
Prices have been fairly steady, note
worthy decreases being those of tea,
sugar. coffee, lard and wheat. The drop
in price of wheat, in the face of the gov
ernmentS remarkably bullish report on
stocks of wheat in farmers hands in
dicated continued lack of faith in the ag-
ricultural department.
Exports of wheat from both coasts of
the United States this week Qour in
cluded as wheaD amount to- only 1,59S,-
4S2 bushels against 2,055, 900 last week,
2 401, 600 in the week a year ago, 2,791, 600
in the week two years ago, 3,258,0O0
three years ago, and as compared with
2SS6, 900 in the late period of 1898, and
forms the smallest weeks total since
the lent week of April 1896.
Exports of Indian corn continue heavy
amounting to 100000 bushels against
5255. 900 last week, 1,70S, 900 bushels in
the week a year ago, 882, 900 bushels two
years ago, 1,273,000 three years ago, and
as compared with shipments of 966, 900
in the like week of 1893.
Failures continue to decrease, the to-
tai for the week being 227 against 262
last week, 282 in the week a year ago,
262 in the week two years ago, and as
compared with 231 in the like week of
1894 In the corresponding period of
1893, when trade was of a large volume
the total was 231.
Business failures reported from Cana
da this week number 56 against 81 last
week, 5S a year ago and So in the week
two years ago.
DUN SEES A BRIGHT FUTURE.
r. G. Dun & Co.'S weekly review of
trade says:
1t is curious illustration of human
nature, this continued encouragement,
even while the increase of productive
industries and of legitimate business
steadily grows.
No genuine or lasting improvement
could come otherwise than slowly and
step by step, after such q depression as
the past four years have seen, and the
most hopeful feature of the situation is
that the gain is so near devoid of ele-
ments which involve unsoundness and
probable reaction.
The first step toward prosperity is to
get the wheels started and the hands
employed, and the number of works
which have resumed or increased force
during the past week seems greater than
in any other week since November.
While the start has been secured in
many cases by contract at extreme low
prices, involving some reduction of
wages, the hands are earning more,
even So and aid more the general re-
covery than if not working at all, and
thus far important strikes have been
avoided in many cases, though some are
still threatened.
The money markets continue espec-
tally favorable to Industrial recovery,
and there is no such speculative epi-
demic as to lock up an excessive share
of available capital.
The annual statements of wheat in
farmers hands since March 1st have
not in the least stimulated speculation.
Those commonly worthy of attention
indicate that farmers and commercial
supplies together aggregate 1876, ,000 900
to zoe, ,000 600 bushels exceeded by the
output estimate of home demand $780,
600, 900 bushels to July by much more
than the quantity likely to be wanted
for export in view of the continued out
go of corn, amounting for the past two
weeks to 6894, ,88S bushels against l.
1aS