The Oskaloosa herald., 1900-08-23
THE TRADE REVIEW
Leading Commercial Agencies
Give Their views.

New York, Aug. 18.--R. @. Dun & Co.'s
Weekly Review Of Trade says: After a
great wave of advancing prices optimism
as to business Is generally dangerous. But
the top was reached the middle of March,
since which time reaction has come in
every great industry, so that consumers are
asking whether In some directions the de-
cline may not have been reasonably large.
as was the advance, and whether buying
on the present basis of prices is not fairly
sure. There are further evidences Of weak
ness in raw materials, notably the break
in structural iron, but each one is awaited
OF to place heavy contracts. New York Is
welcoming buyers from all over the coun-
try in larger numbers than for many years
at this season in dry goods, in groceries, In
jewelry and In hardware, and II contracts
are not placed to as large volume as ex-
pected by this time 1t is because of con-
servatism of those who think they may
compel some further shading of prices. Re
ports this week from other important
points of distribution show the same eager
ness to buy when the time seems right.
1t Is becoming apparent that the bottom
has been reached in prices of iron and
steel The decline was severe and recov-
cry must be slow, but gradual advances
and moderately increasing activity are
more healthy than violent changes. In no
single division is the Improvement more
striking than in any other.
1.-THE first effect of the official report of
wheat condition, indicating total crop
of only 513, 997, 900 bushels, was to strengthen
prices, but when the secretary of agricui-
ture was reported as predicting dollar
wheat before the end of the year the mar
ket showed an inclination to disagree, and
the September option fell below so cents at
New York for the first time in two months.
Failures for the week were 161 in the
United States against 1856 last year, and "a
in Canada, against "a last year"
Bradstreet's says: Among the favor
able features reported this week are adj
vices of further expansion in fall trade
distribution at leading western centers,
with relatively best buying proceeding
from those sections of the southwest
which have profited by good crops, rather
better distribution by dry goods jobbers
at the east, firmer tone and a perceptible
growth in confidence, accompanied by
heavy buying in some classes of steel and
iron, and a disposition to believe that an
average wheat crop and much more than
average corn and oats crops are as
sured. Steady increases in current gross
railway earnings over year ago and an
exceptionally favorable net earnings report
for the first half of the year are additionally
encouraging features.
The list of unfavorable elements in the
trade situation is at best a negative one,
the approach of presidential campaign,
though less effective than usual in this re-
spect, the backward demand for spring
woolens and the slow demand for the raw
material, the restriction in production of
some makes of cotton goods, the dullness
in building materials, notably lumber, and
the backward inquiry for boots and shoes
at the east being among these. Speculation
in nearly all lines, and especially in food
products, is at a low ebb. and what price
changes are noted are mainly because of
hnr a md ffpV,g
have played some part in wheat, corn and
cotton, respectively. The money market
as whole is still easy, the only increase
in demand being noted at the west, where
trade is expanding, but where moving
crops are still in the future"