Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-03-31
THE BUSINESS SITUATION.

Bradstreet's for Saturday gives ilash
weeks review of the business situation
1.-The favorable features of tha weekA
in diatrihutiye trade have been the rel
ports coming, With few exceptions, fron{
all parts of the West and NorthwestS
and married only by the check to busi1
ness and shipments caused by heavy
rains ami high water in the Ohio Val{
ley. The unsettled condition OF our res
lHtions with Spain ia credited with
exercising some effect upon Immediate
demands and upon future undertakings
in the Eastern portion Of the country,
But the two industries--cotton and,
woolen-most complaining are those inJ
which conditions other than foreign
complications have for some time past
been working toward depression. The
coarse cotton goods situation does not
improve in any way, and deSlineH 10
print cloths to a still lower record
quotation render increasingly imminent
action by manufacturers toward cur
failing production in this line. While
come wooden goods mills have already
hooked good orders the business done
as a whole has not been up to anticipa.
tions. Raw wool, however, does not reflect
the rather unsatisfactory condition 10
| the manufactured product in lower quo,
taiious. The condition Of the iron and
steel trade is one which excites Hatisfac-
tion and almost surprise. From number
Of widely separated sections the report
comes of unprecedented activity in
nearly all branches of the trade. Bank
clearings in the United States reflect
reduced speculative interest, chiefly at
New York, in total for tho week ag.
/ .
smaller than last week, but % per cont
larger than in this week q year ago, 81
per cent larger than in 1876, % per cent
larger than in lS9,, I6 per cent larger
than in 1894, but IL per cent smaller
than 1893 and per cent smaller than
1852. Business failures in the United
States this week are 2l5 against 23S last
week, 22l in this week year ago, 27G
in 1896 and 232 in 1885. Flour and corn
exports are larger this week, but those
OF wheat are smaller.
Il. q. Dun e. Go. "a Review says: A
waiting state of things always hinders
business to some extent. With more
than S3l, 600. GOO gold received or on its
way since this movement began, with
ample bank reserves and Treasury res
serves rising, and redemption of notas
in all ways nearly third smaller than
in February, to date, with no stringenGy
in any money rket amand sterling
, exchange weak, with the volume o.
business at Clearing Houses OUTSIDE
New York larger than in 1892 by 6. Q poi
cent. this month, aud with failure
J nearly 30 per cent smaller than las
year, and 80 per cent smaller than II
j thu same month of 1892. there 10 no
] much visible ground for panic, even j
: earnest efforts should fail to keep peace
with honor. AS panic does not CONT
8 when men are waiting for il, there il
general anxiety to have an emu of delay
/ In the stock market, after great spucu
lative liquidation and a months oppor
tunities to sell. there is mure DISPOSE
ton to consider earnings, which canno
4 be cut off by foreign troubles, and il
March thus far are 10. I per cent large
O than last year and 80 larger than i
1892, in spite Of almost unprecedente
!, cutting Of rates. East bound tonnaR
d from Chicago for three weeks has bee
466. l59 tons this year, 2iS, 3lS last year
d and 2i2, 6S7 in the same week Of 1892
4 with earnings Of granger llnes 8. 2 pa
, cent over those Of 1892; trunk linea
lI.g; other Eastern, II. Z, and Southern
100 per cent. While conservative
buyers arc disposed to wait, the liquida
4 tion of speculative holders has remove
n the main source Of apprehension frot
Il the market. 1t is difficult to take dis
!. NAL views when the nation is surpasi
i. ing all records in marketing products.