Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-04-14
THE BUSINESS SITUATION.

Bradslreei's for last werk notes a
sersiblp queTing Of demand for staple
goods perCeptible in tho various de-
tailed trade reports coming TO hand this
week. AT the East the drift OF matters
affecting our foreign relations has been
such as to discourage new business, but
this tendency has baen considerably
accentuated by unseasonably cold
weather, which hes checked the usual
Easter demand to considerable oxteDt.
Reports from the West are that tha
heavy rush of apring business is about
over, and that orners coming in now are
Of filling in character Here again
reports OF unreasonable weather Rre met
with. A fairly good business is re-
ported at the South, and hut slight
chock to our export trade 10 reported,
growing out of tho raising of freight
and insurance rates consequent on the
disturbed foreign outlook. Frost ia re-
ported to have done considerable damage
to the peach and other crops of the
South, aud to early planted tobacco.
A fairly satisfactory trade 10 reported at
the Northwest. Lake navigation 10 now
open, and AUTHORIZATIONS are that pron-
porous years. business will be done.
Rather less activity is 10 otn mdotes
of the country'H great staples. Cotton
goods have moved fairly we'll, ginghams
especially being in excellent demand,
and except for low grads cottons,
notably print clotha, which have made
new low price record OF 2 cents per
yard this week. the situation ia as
| favorable as could be expected. Wool
is dull, rejecting uncertainty as to
| future business and unsatisfactory mar
giDs OF profit. Buying for American
account at the London wool sale was OF
| very small amount. Prices abroad SHOW
undiminished strength, but at home
quotations are merely nominal. The
iron trade continues to report large
volume OF business being done, but it
is becoming evident that this is chiafiy
| upon orders previously booked. En-
| gagements for future work have dimin-
ished alike in number and volume,
particularly in the East. pending the
outcome OF foreign complications.
wheat shipments, including flour,
this week are slightly larger than those
OF Last week. and considerahly in excess
of last year. aggregating BITS, l26
bushels for that period, against 3, 900, :
664 bushels last week, 2, 036, 600 bushels
in the week a year ago, ], 764, 600 bushels
in 1896 and 2, 93I, 900 bushels in 1888.
Corn exports have fallen off sharply.
aggregatiDg 8. 557, 600 bushels. against
4, 507, 600 bushels last week, 4, 645, coo
bushels in the week year ago, !, 3al, :
600 bushels in 1896 and $4,000 bushels
in 1885,"
| r. q. Dun g. Co. q Review says
"When everybody is asking whether it
is to be war or peace, the state of bust
ness in not easy to judge. Prophecy ia
not the function of BUSINESS journal,
and there are times when even the
most careful study of facts gives no
clear indication OF the future. 1t ia
not possible to judge how far buying
for distribution or buying for CON
sumerH may be affected for n time by
chances of war. Every consumer may
Imagine that he is going to wear fewer
clothes and use fewer tools and cat less
food than in state OF peace. But it ia
likely that he may not. Since nobody
can judge just how wise bankers may
be in an emergency, there is some un-
certainty, but thus far scarcely any
Btoppags whatever OF manufacturing
concerns appears, nor any indications
that the producing forcs is likely TO be
diminished, nor is any such symptoms
to he seen in business reports.
"Evid1nce of existing conditions ID
not confusing nor upfavorabls. So far
banking conservation has not caused
failures, which continue smaller than
for many years, as in March, nor has
it caused stoppage of any manufactur-
ing concerns, nor lessened the volume oil
business reported by railroads in ton
! mage, or clearipga at principal points
I In five weeks Chicago east bound ton
mage has heen 779, PIT tons, more thar
double last years and II per cent largel
than in 1892, Rates are lower, ant
tonnage is more largely of low class
freights, but quantities of products
moved are enormous. Payments through
!, principal clearinghouse are 27.8 pc
cent larger for the week, and 81 pc
cent larger than last year, and 3. s pc
cent larger than in 1892, notwithstard
ing great fall in prices of commodi
ties in six years. Foreign imports werl
very small last week, but in five week
have been only 5 per cent smaller thai
last year, while exports have boon 81
per cent larger for the week and 56 pc
cent larger for five weeks, which indi
Gates moro than $50, 600. 900 excess o
! Imports over exports for March, and nj
/, one can Hay how large the remaining
balance is. Railroad earnings hay'
been reaucad beyond all reason by rat
; cutting, and yet have been for Marcel
l6.3 per cent over last year, and g.
mar rant oyer 1892 nil classes SHOWING