The San Francisco call., 1898-04-18
THE WAR AND THE WEATHER.

n s actual war draws the effect on trade \ becomes more pronounced It Is shown pri- marlly in the steady decrease in the bank clearings, which, though still ahead of 1897 by upward of B per cent, nevertheless decreasing The de- mand for goods IS also falling off along the Atlantic Coast and in the Southern States The West and Northwest being remote, are less affected and in these regions there is still good distribuve trade The Pacific Coast has thus far shown no effect what ever.
 Wall street, too, seems to have been removed from the of disturbance. That shrewd and far seeing mart discounted the long ago, and, as re- marked last week, exclusively in the hands of professional operators, the public having withdrawn to the spectators stand. It is the general opinion that with the actual commencement of warfare there will be serious decline in prices of stocks and bonds, as that has already occurred though in the first moments of excitement there may be tenn porary slump. The money market in New York is in exceptionally fine shape, the banks being well stocked with ready money, and with plenty of gold still due us from Europe Hence the New York banks are watching the approach of with the easy non chalance of that man who knows he has got all the money he needs to meet his bills, and more, too Meanwhile the volume of legitimate business is enor- nous. The export of wheat from the Atlantic Coast continues heavy. The official report shows that ex- ports in March were 15,45o,575 bushels of wheat (hour ncluded), against 7ooI 722 bushels last year. and Tn nine months from the principal ports I63ooo- 73o bushels, against I32,o76463 last year The fail ures too exceptionally sall those for the past week being only 254.
 The important staples, rule, are dull Wool was quieter than present, and cotton goods also inactive While the iron trade is still rush ing, is understood that it is on orders received some time ago, business being limited
 In California the question is not war but weather The has been the driest ever known at least of late years Feed is scarce everywhere, and the grain crop bids fair be the smallest for several de- cades. As for hay it Is question where it is coming from this year The hay merchants are looking about all the coast for>suppes, and have already be- gun to import from Oregon and Utah. But these sources are new and uncertain, have never be- fore had to draw them, hence nobody knows how much they have to sell how the hay will "eed out' when 1t gets here. It may not be adapted to the re- quirements of this climate. But it is good deal bet ter than nothing. Meanwhile the price of the local article goes up dollar ton every two or three days and the end is not yet People are getting rid of their extra horses fast as possible, the stockmen are securing the country for pasture and the situation is about sensational it b. for prosac staple
 like hay, which is populary supposed to grow every where and to be had for the mere asking
 The matter would be amusing if 1t were not serious Everybody is talking about hay The gold fields of Alaska have been eclpsed by the peaceful hay fields right under noses, and 1t is a common remark that the who has barn full of hay has some thing better than the Kondike. To aggravate the situation everything akin to hay is going up-wheat, barley, flour, oats, corn, rye bran, niddngs mill stuffs, the very mush eat for breakfast And all this for the want of a little rain
 The farmer who raises anything this year-it makes very little difference what it s-wll be happy man. The tendency in all products of the farm is upward Even dried fruit which has been dead in the shell for months, has awakened from its lehargy and is sell ing off brisky, with good prospects for advanced prices before long. The East has discovered that we will be shy of fruit out here this year and is buying
 up with little fuss possible so as not to get us