Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1899-09-20
BUSINESS SITUATION.
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Chicago Correspondence:

chicago Correspondence;
The strength of the general business
situation is shown by the small number of
failures. At no time in the history of
this country have there been so few bank
ruptcies as now. The liquidation which
came with the panic of 1898 was thor
ough and complete and opened the way
for the laying of foundations of the safest
and soundest character for legitimate bus
mess operations. The outlook, therefore,
is still of promising character. Not
withstanding the great Improvement that
las taken place in the last two years all
of the best trade authorities agree in the
prediction that the eliminating point Of
the advance is by no means set in sight
and that there is every reason to believe
that present conditions will continue to
prevail for several months TO come.
The Developments of the last week
have all been in the direction of improve
ment. Reports of railroad earnings have
shown further gains, the bank clcarings
are again we'll ahead of those for the cor
responding week last year and from ey-
cry section comes the news of steadily
increasing activity in trade and manu-
featuring lines. Prices are being well
maintained for the reason that the pro-
duction, great as it has been in the last
few months, is still considerably below
the demand. Collections are uniformly
reported to be good and wholesalers say
that the proportion of each transaction is
showing gratifying increase.
III the security markets there has been
some uneasiness shown with regard TO
the Transvaal situation and money rates
have also shown tendency to harden.
The result of this has been that during
the latter part of the week prices for
stocks showed considerable decline. On
all the recess.ras, however, good buying
has made its appearance in the standard
stocks. Trading sentiment at the moment
is somewhat mixed, but the best opinion
is that as soon as money again eases up
the stock market will again develop into
bull affair. Meantime, it is expected
to continue to have two Sides with fuc-
tuations covering a range of two or three
points.
Business on the Board of Trade suffer-
ed to some extent from the state of the
weather. The volume of speculative
transactions was thereby curtailed, and
the lack of activity gave to the markets
an appearance of weakness which was
more apparent than real. Holders of
wheat had to battle with increasing re-
ceipts, but were sustained II their efforts
BY the liberal outflow toward foreign
ports and the fact that, Notwithstanding
almost ally claims of no demand from
abroad, the weekly shipments from this
country to Europe exceeded by about 40
nor cont tho combined efforts of all the
other exporting countries of the world
An argument for lower prices cannot well
be founded on any such condition of af-
fairs.
Corn closed Saturday without any ap-
preciable change in price from that ruling
at the close of the previous week. Reports
from the country very generally claimed
damage more or less from the extremely
drv. hot weather, but the speculative ap-
preciation of the amount of injury is dis
Dlayed in the immobility of the grain s
value, Notwithstanding the excellence of
the shipping demand. 1t is true that
freight rates are hardening, and that
would have a natural tendency TO depress
prices west, but they could not me kept
down on that account if there was any
doubt of a large crop being practically as
sured, although it may not be so over
whelmingly heavy as promised two weeks
ago.
The dry term has come to an end, and
farm work in preparation for another sea-
son, temporarily suspended by the lack of
moisture, can now be resumed, so that the
6ourishing condition of things agricultural
continues in undiminished degree.