The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1898-02-05
TRADE OUTLOOK IS GOOD!
First Month of the New Year Shows
q Decided Increase in Business
Transactions.
PRICES, HOWEVER, DO NOT ADVANCE.
Competition in Manufacture IL Re-
sponxtblc Larger Demand still
for All Kinds Of Products Predicts
ed-FOreiEn Demand for Grain ON
the Observation-Disclosures Tor n Week.

New York. Jan. 29.-R. G. Dun e. Co..
In their weekly review Of trade, say:
1.-THE first month of the new year has
brought rather more increase In business.
but less improvement In prices than was
expected. With payments through clearing
houses 7.3 per cent. larger than in 1892 and
probably the largest ever known In any
month. with railroad earnings 112 per cent.
larger than the best Of past years, the fact
that prices are very low only shows more
clearly the Increase in quantities of prod
ucts sold. Nor Is there any disposition to
refuse orders, even at present prices: in
deed, the competition OF manufacturers
seeking orders alone prevents rise. Most
Of them have all they can manage, many
working night and day. and one great steel
concern running on Sunday, but the works
not yet filled with orders are seeking con-
tracts at as low prices as have ever been
made, indicating that even these are not
entirely Improbable. The settlement Of
wages on 10 per cent. advance April for
100000 coal miners OF the central region,
with other changes, will tend toward q
larger demand for products of all kinds,
though also toward some increase In cost
OF manufacture.
Foreign Demand for Grain.
wheat has been conspicuous. rising
cents for the week, with SIS cents for May
options. Western receipts have been TO-
009.053 bushels in four weeks, against $685.
I'll last year. but Atlantic exports have been
12.003,s 1928 bushels In four weeks. against
7.103.674 last year, and Pacific exports for
the week 4,o15, 5s3 bushels. against s.454, gs5
last year. So heavy an outgo, with wheat
over 81 per bushel and with corn ex-
ports for the four weeks equaling the ex-
traordinary movement of last year, dis
closes the strength of foreign demand even
better than current accounts of disappoint-
ing shipments from Argentine and poor
prospects In Russia.
The iron manufacture Is getting larger
orders for finished products, which crowd
many works almost beyond their capa city,
although some others are still in the mar
kct and keeping prices down.
Failures for the week have been S42 in
the United States, against 3S1 last year. and
81 in Canada. against 81 last year."
Az Bradstreet Sees 1t.
Bradstreet's says:
Favorable conditions in the trade situa-
tion continue to far outweigh those of an
opposite character. Stormy weather
throughout a largo section Of the country
this week has checked the movement Of
merchandise in the consumption. but per-
ceptible increase In the demand for sea-
sonable goods Is reported as already re-
sulting. The last week Of the month closes
with increased activity In many lines, q
number Of price advances. heavily in.
creased banking clearings as compared
with one year ago at nearly all cities, an
other considerable drop In the number of
failures reported. large exports of cereals,
particularly wheat, corn and flour, and per.
ceptible confidence in nearly all branches
of trade as regards the outlook for spring
business. Another favorable feature Of
the week Is the slight but distinct improve
ment In the cotton goods situation, in which
speculative activity Is awakening. Print
cloths are higher and some makes of gray
and medium weight cottons are more firm
ly held