The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-31
TRADE HAS HAD QUIET WEEK.
AGRICULTUR,AL PRODUCTS HAVE
SHOWN STRENGTH.

Upward Movement I'm Hog Poducts
Is Predicted-COtton Has weaken
ed to Some Extent-Littlc New in
the Iron and Steel Trade--Advance
I'm Leather Has Restricted New
business - shipments of Cereals
and Business Failures.
New York, March sO.-Bradstreets to-
morrow will say:
1t has been quiet week in dlstributive
trade, except at some few Western CEN
ters, this being especially true of the dry
goods business. Wholesale trade In this
line has been generally completed, and,
pending the effect of spring demand upon
waiting stage
The feature in prices has been the
strength manifested by agricultural prod
ucts and provisions. The advances In the
latter, in fact. are regarded as foreshad
owing an upward movement In hog prod
ucts. long predicted but only partially
realized. Numerous advances in wages
have still further advanced the purchas-
ing power of the community. Disquet-
ing advces as to international complica-
tons and less favorable French crop re-
ports have furnished the basis for a
slight upward movement in wheat.
Winter wheat crop advices have been
on the whole good and have acted as a
balance to the stories of French dana
age Corn has been strong. in sympat thy
with wheat, and SOME renewal of for
eign buying. aided by unsatisfactory ad-
81 < n
Cotton Has Weakened.
Alone of the agricultural staples, cotton
has weakened during the week, not be-
cause of any impairment of the statistical
position which, indeed, remains very
strong but really because some specula-
tive holders have gotten tired and have
given ear to reports of dullness in the cot
ton goods demand. New business In this
latter line Is undoubtedly quiet, but most
of the mills are heavily sold ahead and
finished products have not advanced pro-
portionatey as much as the cruder forms.
Wool has been more active, but consider
able business has been done at conces-
sions. The decentralization in the sugar
business Is clearly confined to the refining
branch because, while quotations of the
finished product have been lowered the
heavy refiners have been large buyers and
raw sugar has actually advanced, the re-
margin of profit in refining
Little that is new is observable in the
iron and steel trade. New business Is of
a hand to mouth character and this might
be regarded as a depressing feature were
1t not for the fact that producers are so
heavily sold ahead. Bessemer pig iron is
still as strong as is the foundry grades
are weak but the increase in furnace
stocks of the latter is claimed to be bal
anced by the reduction of manufacturers
supplies.
The Ccent dvance in leather has tended
to restrict new business, but advices from
the boot and shoe industry are on the
whole favorable. There has been some ac-
emulation of stocks of lumber and talk
of overproduction in some states of the
South, but price weakness is not as yet
notable. Manufacturers and jobbers in
carpets and upholstery report a heavy
seasons business booked.
Shipment of Cereals.
Wheat, including flour shipments for che
week. aggregate 2,962349 bushels, against
1908, 495 last week, S9SS, 23s in the oorre-
spending week OF 1899. S.550,664 in 1898; o.
AGA ,645 in 1897, and 1.693927 bushels In 1895.
Since July /, this season, the exports of
wheat aggregate 147, $50 bushels
against 1874 $50, 740 last year, and 1S0,607 ,552
in 1898.
Corn exports for the week aggregate
8, 1873, 6SS, against 3123, S4S last week. 2,411.-
443 bushels In this week a year ago. A.
5O7, 722 in 1893, 1870 127 in 1897, and 2,199,56i
in 1896 Since July /, this season corn ex-
ports aggregate 1856, 76i, 615 bushels, against
127 ,565 OPS during the same period year
ago, and 1886, 551 $40 in 1878
Business failures in the United States
for the week numbered 49, as compared