The times., 1898-03-05


New York. March 4.-R. G. Duns review
of trade tomorrow will say:
While the nation stands ready to sup
port President Mckinley. as it was ready
to support President Cleveland. in any
just controversy, it is gratifed by the
calmness and justice shown in waiting
until facts determine whether there is
ground for complaint. Stories of the most
reckless sort, disproved promptly, and
many of them before they are told, af-
fected speculation in stocks much last
week, and al times this week, but they
have not disturbed the industries and the
trade of the country at all. The nation
looks for peace. but knows that its
sources of prosperity are quite beyond the
reach of any attack that is possible. In
grain cotton, meat products and petTo-
leum markets have been stronger. with
gradual increase in the demand for man
ufactured products.
Failures in February have been smaller
than in any other month, except three,
with remarkable decrease in the failures
for $l00 900 and over. The evidence of gem
eral safety and solvency is gratifying
while in most branches of manufacture
and trade defaults are smaller than in
February for four years past.
The best evidence of general improve
ment is the fact that payments through
clearing houses for the past week have
been rs per cent larger than in 1892, and
outside New York, with it's speculative
interests, 17.6 per cent. Compared with
last year the gain has been $50 per cent
for the week, and 49.S per cent for Feb
ruary.
Production of pig iron is the greatest
ever known, some furnaces having start
ed in the past month, but Bessemer biz
| let's are so scarce at Chicago that some
works are embarrassed and heavy pur
| chases at Pttsburg, including one of 25,
| 600 tons, have stiffened the price.
| The strike in cotton mills does not
! spread but helps to a slightly better de-
| mand for some goods, while in woolens
! the business is slow in some of the finer
! qualities, which have been much advanced
| in prices, and in these and other grades
as well cancellations have often exceeded
| recorders, indicating less distribution
| than was expected at the advanced prices.
! Wheat has grown stronger, exports con-
| tinuing at rate which threatens eX-
! haustion of supply, if trade reports Of
| farmers stocks are correct.
| Corn has declined only Lie. with ex-
| ports advanced to 6.31 cents on Saturday,
| in spite of accommodating evidence of a big
! yield, with the idea that the next crop
will be small.
Money in commercial loans has ad-
vanced to per cent on the best paper,
offerings and demand being restricted.
| Coming gold may change the situation,
! and more has been engaged-S2, 900 for
| Saturday.
| Failures for the week have been 251 in
! the United States. against 246 last year.
| and 80 in Canada. against 80 last year.
New York, March 4.-Bradstreet's re-
view of trade tomorrow will say:
Nearly all signs point to an unprece-
dented volume of business being done or
arranging for at the present time. The
| aggressive strength of prices record
| breaking bank clearings and continued
| large exports, particularly of the lowered
priced cereals, a very heavy volume of
| business in iron and steel and kindred
| lines, and generally satisfactory reports
| as to the volume of Spring trade at lead
! ing distributive centers are among the
! visible features of this trade develop
| ment. Nearly all of the country's cereal
| products are higher in prices this week.
as are also some varieties of provisions.
| Bessemer pig iron, copper, raw cotton
| and tin. Few decreases in price are not
| ed. sugar being the most important, while
| the list of staples steady and unchanged
| numbers pork, coffee, lead and print
/ cloths. The export of corn from Southern
| ports is an additionally favorable nature.
| while the practical agreement of South
| ern iron producers as to prices, with gen
! orally satisfactory collections at most
| points. has impaired a decidedly cheerful
| tone to adVices from that section. Trade
| is larger than usual at the central West.
! Spring trade has opened up well in the
| Northwest, and the jobbing trade is quite
/ 4ct