Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-03-14
GENERAL RISE CT Wages
This, According to Dun, Is the Best
Assurance of Good Business
In the Future.
VOLUME SHOWS NO SIGNS OF DECREASE
Leading Commercial Agencies Pre-
sent Reports on the Trade Situa-
ton Which Are Highly Encourag-
ing-Bradstrect Says Price Strenth
Is Notable Feature.

New York, March 13-R. G. Dun & Co. S
weekly review of trade says: by far the
best assurance of good business in the flu
ture is found in the general rise of wages.
The general advance in earnings of cotton
mill operatives, in most cases ten per cent,
of iron and steel workers generally ten per
cent, and tin plate and sheet workers from
nVe to ten per cent. and of coal miners, in
some large districts, about as much. has
set pace which most establishments will
follow which have reduced wages in the
past years of depression Those who fail
to comprehend what such a change may
mean have only to consider that tenth
Increase in the wages of all labor would
put into the markets new buying demand,
in amount about three-quarters of the en-
tire value of exports to all countries.
The volume of business shows no signs
of decrease and for the first full week of
March has been about 51.7 per cent. greater
than in the same week of last year and COS
per cent greater than in 1892
Most people would not expect the pro-
duction of pig iron to be affected by the
weather Yet in the Pittsburgh district
alone the furnaces running are said to have
produced IL, 900 tons per week less than their
January output. SO that the decrease in
weekly production of all furnaces, 22S,191
tons March /, against 237, 639 February l.
does not mean anything more than bad
weather The shrinkage of the supplies of
iron In February, just when increased sup
plies were expected and needed and con-
tributed much to the extraordinary ad-
vance IN prices, s2.75 in anthracite No. l
February 1, $3.50 in bessemer pig at Pitts
burgh and s275 in gray forge.
exports of wheat do not yet fall below
last years, as many have for some months
expected. and the Atlantic exports, flour
included, have been for the week 5000, 092
bushels. against 2S90,S79 last year, and Pa
cine exports COB, 1877 bushels, against 1,2S0, 61S
last year, with other exports of 407, 569 BUSH
els Western receipts were 4071 OFT bushels,
against 2,75291s for the same week last
year, and the output from the country goes
far to check apprehension as to deficiency
OF the crop. The price is about two cents
lower for spot, and corn is about one cent
lower with western receipts 1859, 404 BUSH
els, against 5,4S7,203 last year, while exports
nave been for the same week 1851, SS7 BUSH
els, against 2,957,S51 last year.
FAILURES for the week have been 1872 in
the United States, against 24S last year, and
~ IN Canada. against 36 last year"
AS Seen by Bradstreet.
Bradstreet's says: Industrial and trade
activity Is still a preeminent feature of the
general business situation. Price strength,
too, Is notable especially in view of the
midwinter rise of February, except in the
case of the leading cereals and wool In
manufacturing lines the situation is one of
great activity. Additional advances in
to swell the number of workers whose
wages are reported advanced to close to
10000. The iron and steel trade is still ex-
cited by reports of feversh demand, in
adequate supplies and further advanced
quotations. Lumber is active at most mar
kets and prices are firm, because of we'll
cleaned up stocks. Raw and refined sugar
nave alike moved upward this week, part
ly because of unfavora BILE Cuban crop ad-
vices and also in sympathy with the i'm
provement going on in European beet mar
kets. Refined has been marked up not
Withstanding the trade war now going on.
Wheat is weaker, Notwithstanding crop
damage reports, and other cereals are In
sympathy Herewith, chiefly because of the
growth of bearish views of supplies held
by farmers and tendency to discount the
generally expected heavy government esti-
mates of wheat in farmers hands. Reports
from leading markets east and west are of
an active spring jobbing demand, particu-
larry for dry goods, but shared in by cloth
ing, shoes and other staples