The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-05-27
ALL A HABIT
Is How r. G.. Dun & Co. Char
acteriZes the Fear
Existing in Some Quarters Re-
ga<ding Future of Business.
WORRY ABOUT CROPS
Appears Every Year, and Yet
Returns Grow Larger.
Wages and Prices of Products
Continue to Rise.

@NGW 0Idy AoA-A -
Co.'S Weekly Review of Trade says:
There is some fear that has no other
source than the habit of fear. Men
have found for so many years disaster
treading on the heels of apprehension
that they lack faith in good things
present and to come Every year there
is worry about short crops, and yet the
crops grow larger. The spectre of mon
etary trouble haunts men who know
that the country is strong beyond any
need Promoting methods alarm men
who are already quite aware that 1t IS
only needfuI to put promoted stocks IN
a class by themselves But all the time
the volume of business is rising. This
weeks payments through the chief
clearing houses are 62-1 per cent larger
than last year and $50 per cent larger
than in 1892. For the month thus far,
the daily average is 57.9 per cent larger
than last year and 66.4 per cent larger
than in 1892 Moreover, this week and
every other brings larger wages TO
many and increased purchasing power,
and the demand for products is conse-
quently expanding in all branches Of
consumption
The rise in bessemer pig iron to $17.65
at Pittsburg, 81 in two weeks in grey
forge, to $15-25, in anthracite No. here
to $16-75, and in local and southern iron
at Chicago, results directly from the
fact that supplies are for the time less
than the demand. Many more furnaces
are in haste to begin work, some sue
ceeding but others hindeTed by diff
Guilty of getting prompt deliveries of
needed parts of machines or prompt
supplies of ore and fuel The natural
remedy that new orders now call for
less work than was done in April or
March is for the time hidden by en-
gagement of nearly all concerns for
months ahead The largest and best
works are catching up with their or
ders, though much behind and obliged
to refuse many while others are enter
ing the field 1t is proof Of an astonish-
ing demand, that after nearly five
months this congestion continues and
the rise in prices. including advances
of 81 per ton in plates and bars, is not
forced or unnatural
Minor metals have followed London
so long that tin stocks are at 1855
cents, though stocks are large and the
demand is remarkably poor, and lead
at S4.45, though the demand is slow,
while copper weakens to 1872 cents for
lake, British statistics indicating a fall
of nearly quarter in consumption for
four months this year, compared with
last.
The heavy sales of wool, 80 954 600
pounds at the three chief markets in
three weeks, against 20, $780, 300 for the
same week in 1897, when the disastrous
speculation of that year had begun to
turn, and II. Pc, $50 in 1892, are mostly
to Spectators. as manufacturers are
doing scarcely anything Weeks ago
they held that prices were too high.
even after some decline, for the prices
at which goods could be sold But
western and eastern specuIa tors have
settled it that the manufacturer will be
forced to buy at such prices as they
may fix and are taking large quantities.
The cotton mills have a fairly good de-
mand after a considerable advance in
prices of goods and are producing large
Iy. The material has been steady at
SIC, with no ground to expect much
change. and the best reports indicate
a decrease in acreage of four per cent.
Wheat advanced ? cents but lost
nearly all the gain on Friday. Western
receipts have fallen to about half last
years and exports in four weeks from
all Atlantic and Pacific ports have been
is, $50, 16S bushels, flour included. against
10 SCI, $50 bushels last year, while from
have gone out this year. But men for
get that foreign demand, if not as large
as it was last year, with famine i'm
pending. is much larger than in the
same weeks Of 1897. when wheat ex-
ports were only 5,704. 1874 bushels, and
also forget that the Letter speculation
caused a wholly unnatural May move
ment last year; western receipts in the
past four weeks, 8. $50. Sos bushels. COM
pared with 10, 200, 255 bushels last year.
but 9,961,570 in the same weeks of 1897.
and reserves in that year were not
especially reduced but closed quite large
enough Corn exports, though only 10
PSI ,662 bushels. against 20 2S5.O97 last
year, were also but $3.50 091 bushels in
1887
Failures for the week have been 142
in the United States against 245 last
year, and 16 in aCnada against 81 last
year