The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-04-07
TRADE OUTLOOK IS BRIGHT
BUSINESS IMPETUS SUCH AS
HOPED FOR
BRADsTREET's SUMS IT UP
Price Situation Is Encouraging,
Farm Products Easily Leading
in the Upward Movement
Increase in Failures.

NEW YORK, April 6-Bradstreet's to-
morrow will say:
Favorable features continue In the
majority in the general trade situation.
The hopes for the advent Of seasonable
! spring weather have been realized. and
nearly all markets report an improved
. distribution at retail This, as explained
| heretofore, Is really the key of the gen.
eral mercha ndise situation. The indus
| trial situation is a rather spotted one.
| April l, instead Of May 1, seems to have
! beeu fixed upon as a date for presenting
new demands as to wages and hours.
! While many thousand men are directly
or indirectly involved in the Chicago
| building trade strike and several thou
sand are out In the coal industry in the
Pittsburg region, most Of the building
! trade strikers in other cities have gained
their demands and the machinists strike
at Chicago, which was regarded as
| threatening to the entire iron and steel
industry has been called off pending arbi-
| tration.
| The price situation too Is encourag-
| ing, farm products easily leading in the
upward movement. Wheat crop advtcea
| are, on tho whole, favorable, except
from the central West. sympathy IS
! shown with corn, which in turn has been
Influenced by the steady advance in hog
| products and by the known smallness of
reserves in cribs and in store. Nothing
| like the speculative interest has been
seen for some years past and the price
| is now little below SOC at New York. Hog
| products are very strong, statistically.
l., 1.,y- t. mar
| higher than a year ago. Another product
of the farm, cotton has developed re-
newed speculative interest this week, and
| a slight upward swing has occurred as
| the result Of increased speculative atten-
| ton working along previously mentioned
| lines.
Cotton goods are seasonably Quieter
| at first hands, but a fair jobbing business
! is doing and retail distribution is en-
couraging. Wool is, however, weaker,
but reports from the wooden goods branch
are quite favorable. Cancellations report
| ed are the smallest there Is record OF.
| Lumber has shown some weakness at
widely separated markets and the week,
| while not pointing to an altogether en-
coUraging outlook in the building market.
whether from high prices of lumber or
| labor troubles, is not altogether without
hope.
ly unchanged. Reports from Pittsburg
and Birmingham show firmness in the
crude iron material Steel rails are firm
| Recent advances in wages and the strong
| conditions in the bituminous coal and orr
! markets particularly point to not great
shrinkage in prices, Notwithstanding the
fact that current demand is of hand tc
mouth character and buyers are still
waiting for a break In addition expor
inquiry is persistent and from all part:
of the earth.
THE better tone OF the boot and shoe
industry is reflected III steady prices FOL
leather and some advances in hides
Copper is stronger on reported expor
demand and lead is steady while tin /!
slightly lower as a result of speculation
Butter, of course, reflects the advancing
season and more liberal deliveries while
the slight shading in petroleum is hard
ly significant
Wheat. including flour, shipments fol
the week aggregate 3,S36963 blu, agains
2,962,349 last week, 33S5,S00 in the cor
responding week of 1899; 377S,726 in 1888
2,036, 1871 dn 1897 ando2176, 91S in 1896. From
July 1 this season,they exports of whea'
aggregate ISL 009, 663. against 1SS. $40, $40 bl
last year and S3346,27S in 1898. Corr
exports for the week aggregate 3941, 911
against 1896 last week; 3,724654 in this
week d year ago. 3i557;000 in 1858; 4645, SIS;
in 1897, and 1881, S4Gin 1896 Since July
this season corn etlpoSts aggregate $780,
129.206 against 131 ,2S9, G19 during the same
period year ago, and 139, 1864 III 1898
Business failures in the United States
for the week number 1S2, as compared