The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-04-09

The secret of this strength is still
mystery to the people on the outside II
1t has any legitimate foundation it Is
kept well hid
1t is said that the earnings of the
n. Y. c. have been small for the last
month The reason is ascribed TO the
dullness of general business The gross
increase for the month of March was only
sl6S, co.,
The earnings of the Northern Pacific
for the fourth week of March increased
$4,000 For the month the increase
was 1892, 900. The increase since the first
of July has been 81. 100000
There are rumors that the Vanderbilt
| interests have allied themselves with the
underground transit. They cannot be con
hrmed. however. The Vanderbilt buying
OF N. Y. C. has been discontinued for
the moment apparently
The stock market reflected entirely the
waiting attitude of the country yester-
day. 1t was one of the dullest DAYS in
many weeks. The amount of business
done was insign4. cant and the fiuctua-
tons were small and left the closing fig
ures very Little away from those at the
opening. There is really nothing to do
in the market any more than in the Gu
ban situa ton except wait. The Presi-
dent has seen fit to hold back for rea-
sons that no one except himself consid-
ers good ones, and Congress is willing to
give him the added days of delay. Their.
is now, however, q very small chance of
avoiding war, in the opinion of all par
ties, peace at any price included. Inc
position is one in which neither side can
recede with honor. and in which neither
will. from all appearances. The mOSt
careful observers of events who have
some of them doubted from the efforts
of the peace party that actual hostiIities
would result are now of the opinion that
Monday must bring the final develop
ments either a declaration of war in
form or armed Intervention. which means
the same actually.
The stock market should have a reac-
ton at the outse., which will perhaps
be as large as six points. This should
be the extent of the total war decline.
After that there VIII be small declines
and gains as the fortunes of war sway
if there is to be any swaying The most
careful readers of the market are of
this opinion. and il seems to be unavoid-
able. The business of the country will
go on undated and even perhaps il Will
be larger in many lines. The railroads
Will profit by the war even in many
ways. No one expects the trouble to be
of such length as seriously to cripple
the country financially. And it must be
remembered that already there has been
a drop from the fictitious prices that
would have been chief cause for any
panic.
THE general level of values appears
to be if anything slightly below the lev
el set at the beginning of the year Dur
ing the month of March only q out of 1O7
staple articles advanced in price. while
| 10 declined and 81 were unchanged As
compared with a year ago the price
showing is a much better one Sixty
leading staples are higher now than they
Were on April J. 1897, Ii are unchanged
and only 80 are lower, making three
| fourths of all staples exhibiting as good
OF better showing than year ago
"A feature of trade at leading cities
this week is the active trade in bicycles
at New York and Chicago; the sales are
the largest on record.
Business earnings for March prom
Use a very good showing. The total earn
ings of 10 roads for the month aggregate
$50, $50 73. a gain over March last year of
Is per cent.
THE total clearings at S. cities for the
week aggregate 81, PSI, 900 900, a gain of 16
per cent over last week, an increase of
20 per cent over the corresponding week
in 1897, Of IS per cent over THIS week in
1885, and of A per cent over 1894.