The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-06
THE CONDITION OF TRADE
The Prospects of Peace Cause a
Stimulation.
THE CROP SITUATION
Beneficial Rains in the Corn Producing
States-Strepgth IN the Iron and
Steel Trade Firmness in Prices.
Demand for Cereals.

New York, Aug. 5.-Bradstreet's will
say tomorrow: The stimulating influences
of the apparently near approach OF peace.
combined with the generally expected ef-
fectsit is hoped viii float from the opening
up of new markets in the lands added TO
the national domain, seem to increase as
the summer wanes That the improve
ment, while admittedly yet one of senti-
ment, is not seriously confirmed, however.
is proved by reports of a still further in
crease i'm the distribution of staple goods
I'm the West, Northwest and Southwest.
So far as the crop situation is concerned
the past week furnishes not the least
notable contribution of the year In re-
ports coming from the great surplus corn
producing states of beneficial rains,
checking a deterioration which threatened
material damage to this most widely
grown and intrinsically valuable of the
country's cereals. While the tendency gen.
orally is to concede some diminution in
the corn yield as a result of the recent
drought, the steadiness of the price of
that cereal bears witness to the willing
ness OF the trade to believe that some
falling Off In this years yield can safely
be permitted in view of the bumper
crops of recent years.
Another encouraging feature Of the
week has been the perceptible growth In
! strength of the iron and steel situation,
partly as the result, Ii Is claimed, OF the
hoped-for approaching close of hostili-
ties, but partly also as the result of an
active demand on foreign account for
nearly all forms of these metals. Partic-
ularly notable is the demand. more espe-
cially In the Central West, for iron for
implement manufacturers and for steel
rails and plants for export, or for domes-
tic shipbuilding. Firmness in prices Is a
feature of particular interest, in view OF
the earnest production of pig iron early
I'm the year, and apparently reflects the
going into consumption Of most OF this
immense production, leaving stocks gem
orally within controllable limits.
Encouraging export demand for cereals,
great steadiness of prices. largest re-
corded midsummer bank clearings and
fairly encouraging railroad earnings, not
w~ithstanding the willingness Of farmers
to accept cereal values, are additional en-
couraging features of trade at the pres
ent time.
Prices are quite generally frmer, tend.
ing upward In spite OF the midsummer
quietness in many lines of trade. As a
result Of operations I'm July, 81. or about
one-third of all staples. advanced IN
value: n declined. while ~ remained
] SAthuN VI u4AiAhibt's ~ fHS
cereals, except wheat and -four, live
beeVes and hogs, q number Of provisions
dairy products and groceries, most raw
textiles except cotton. petroleum, rubber
alcohol, opium and quinine, are features
of the months operations.
Important decreases. aside from that in
wheat, are found in some makes of irof
and steel, some other metals and In build
ing lumber. Compared with August one
year ago &c out of l04 staples are higher
% are lower and 3 are unchanged, Sc
that II may be said that compared witt
n year ago there have been more than TIVE
advances for every decline reported.
Business failures in the United States
are at "A minimum. numbering lS9, identl
cal i'm number with those or last We'f
but compared with PA In this week a yea
ago. 246 in 1896. 29 In 1895.
Canadian failures number % against 3
last week. II in this week "A year ago
Is in 1896. 81 In 1895 and 40 in 1894.