The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-02-19
GENERAL REVIVAL
OF OUR BUSINESS
The Whole COnntry Is Returning 10
Patriotic Sound Sense.
STATESMANSHIP PREVAILING
Steel Hail Market Affects All Lines Of
Trade Even the Grocery Trade
Shove Marked Revival.
PREVAILING

Now York. February is--(Special TO
the AstorianD Affairs IN Wall H'rc0'
seem to have fallen into routine
course. With NO special ACTIVITY ana
no unusual causes OF excitement Ihsre
IA a fixed fe,llng of confidence UNDER
lying the market for securities which
kcops prices steady but no cnihuslaH-
tic outside demand. and at the momefN
the speculative movement n largely
limited 20 professional operators ~
n rule. the feeling In conservative but
In no sense timid. II Is conceded THAI
"a broader basis for confidence has been
laid. and that the existing situation
is exempt from any obvious reasons
FOR miatyiving
There are certain tendencies quietly
and gradually developing which. almost
unobacrvcd. are producing steady
improvement IN the tone of AHaIrH'
Thcar influences are partly political
partly Industrial. and party financial.
and usrcforc cover a large area OF
interests. In all directions. among the
people and In congress. a calmer ana
more moderate view OF public aftairs
/. being taken. The public appreciate
tina, the larger questions now UP for
settlement are non.polltical In their ma
ture and requtre a treatment which
excludes merely partisan connidera-
tons. The mixing Of influential cisi-
ncns q both parties IN measures OF
form ia very obviously having It's et-
fec, upon the organization OF the new
administration. and n equally cliciting
In congress the statesmanly spirit as
distinguished from the political. This
disposition is shown In Mr. Mckinney y
oarefulness 20 secure. In the selection
az hts cabinet. men OF approved states
manly ability and moderation and who
are known to represent the views "I
the conservative element In pubic
/ opinion. In congress, II appears In
frecr spirit or discussion and In the
relaxatlon OF party restraints upon In
dlvlduai Judgment This tendency Is In
the highest degree hopeful, ~ 1t prom
lses the asccndency of statcsmanship
over prejudice and mere popnlarlzing'
and because " shows that the country
il returning 10 patriotic sound sense.
In the industries. there are signs OF
the beginning of deadlock In which
many trades have been held fast since
the election. and which has materially
checked the progress OF recupcrauon
These obstacles have been mainly con
nectrd with important staples, whose
prestige has naturally affected sympa'
thctically other branches OF business
and produced material interruption
OF trade at the beginning OF the sprine
season. In some cases these hindrancts
have been connected with over-supplles
Of certain products. in others with tbs
efforts OF combines TO enforce higf
prices. The over-stocked condition o
the printing cloth factories has kept
the dry goods trade In complete sus
pense FOR weeks or even months past
| for. this being u staple article, which
regulates the value OF cotton goods a
large, purchases OF all cotton goods
have been postponed lest IA break II
this particular class should dcrange III,
general range OF prices, For this rea
son the purchase OF 100000 pieces o
printing cloths by the American Print
ing Company during this week, and als'
additional purchases Of 250,OOO piece
with an advance In price, has had 1
wholesome effect. for II not only de
termines that the current prices q
cotton goods are fair and normal, bu
lays basis upon which business Il
this branch OF trade can be safel,
transacted, The cotton goods trade 1
thus exempted from an embargo whicl
has caused much otherwise needles
postponement Of business; and the con
seQuent Improvement Of tone seems {
be extending sympathetically to all tn
woolen and worsted trades as wen, Al
~ iVi tliN ll0l Niiiit AOi many iNVhNAN
the much depressed grocery trad
shows n marked revival In its leading
branches. The demand from the In
terror shows special improvement
These are most encouraging symptoms
Similar relief has come to the iro
trade also, Recently there was a col
lapse OF the G. mhlned attempt 20 main
tain a price for steel bilets much abov
: the Views of buyers. This week, the i'm
portant combine which has held stet
rails at $9S and then $25-prices s
much above the market as to have a
most entirely suspended sales-has brC
ken down under disagreements an
! sales have been made within the pas
three days, stated at 100000 tons, q
from $l7 to $40 per ton This is an In
portant boon to the railroads; but III
main encouragement to business while
this fact conveys lies in its oonvincln
proving that there Is a limit to II
: extent TO which Industrial combine
tlons can hold the business OF the couI
try In restraint. In Wall street tn
moral is noted with special satisfactio
and has distinctly influenced the hope
OF q general revival OF business.
The break in the price Of steelrai