, 1898-12-24

"hfcn the country can aHOrd to con-
slider ait its leisure and with comfort.
Failures for the week have been
25S, against 1872 in the United States
last year, and 81 in Canada, against
SO last year.
New York, Dec. 23.-Bradstreet's to-
morrow will say:
Current business conditions furnish
some shrap contrasts to those usually
looked for or reported at this season
of the year. 1t is, of course, reasonable
to look for exceptional activity in
holiday and retail trade generally at
this date, and in this respect the most
sanguine exceptions appear to have
been realized.
Probably before at this date,
however. was the course of general bus
Speculative activity is no longer con-
fined to the stock market, but has Wild
ened to include wheat and corn among
the cereals and copper among the met
ais, while the rush of business in iron
and steel seems little, if any, abated,
and some lines, notably cotton goods
and raw wool, are displaying an ac-
tivity and strength which would have
been welcomed at any time for a year
past. Prices Of securities and the sta
pies alike furnish examples of agrees
sive strength which are so numerous
as to deserve special mention
In the iron trade no signs of flag
cling interest are to be discerned, but
rather more pronounced activity in new
directions. The feature of the week
has undoubtedly been the reported
placing an order for so, 900 tons of steel
rails with an eastern rail mill to go to
Siberia. All the strength of prices is
maintained, and in some lines, notably
billets, wire rods, plates and bars, fur
Their advances are to be reported. In
many lines the >~country's production
seems to be heavily sold ahead, and the
utmost confidence lis expressed as to the
present values being maintained or still
further increased. In other metals,
too. a sympathetic rise is to be des-
cerned.
The foreign demand for cereals con-
tinues undated, any slight reaction in
price being taken advantage Of by for
eign buyers. Wheat closes une week
with quotations well UP to the highest
paid this autumn, and short sellers for
December delivery are reaping the ben
eft of indiscreet Speculation. The
strength of wheat yhas been enhanced
by sympathy with the growing specu-
lative interest in corn, for which the
highest price paid for three years past
has been recorded. Speculation in cop
per and copper stocks has received an
impetus this week from rumors of a
commission Ito control the American
production. Cotton displays notable
strength, and the market for the manu-
featured product Is very firm at the
recent advances, print cloths, in fact,
being higher than for a year past.
Strength and firmness is a feature
also of the lumber market, with the
possible exception of yellow pine, where
keen competition tends 20 check the
advancing tendency shown by other
woods. In other lines of general trade
and industry reports are as a rule fav-
orable.
Wheat, including -four. shipments for
the week aggregate 5,515,231 bushels,
against 6,243, s59 bushels last week, re-
vised to include Portland, Me, 4,757, $50
bushels In the corresponding week of
1897, 2,111,7 O2 bushels in 1886, 3,457, 991
bushels in 1895 1874, O54 bushels in 1894.
Since JURY l, this year. the exports Of
wheat aggregate 115, 236, $40 bushels.
against 1913, $50, 674 bushels last year.
Corn exports for the week aggregate
4,013 ,O67 bushels, against 1921 1886 bush
els last week, 4,S79,O1 bushels in this
week a year ago, 2,46Sy160 bushels In
1896. 1889, 2SO bushels in 1895 and 649,-
l677 bushels in 1894.
Since july /, this year, corn exports
aggregate n, 2ss, 1893 bushels, against
76,2 ESQ, 454 bushels During the same per-
tod a year ago.
Business failures for the week num-
Der 212, against 234 last week, $50 in
this week a year ago. 327 in 1896 and