The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-03-31

Threats of international Complication
Have Lifted Wheat Slightly.
COTTON WEAKENED A LITTLE ON WEEK
This Because Some Spectators Have Grown
Tired Of Holding, There is no impair.
ment Of the Statistical Situation.
Nothing New in Iron.
Nothing New in Iron.
(By the Associated Press.)

(By the Associated Press.)
New York, March 3O.--Bradstreet's to-
morrow will say:
''It has been quiet week in distribu-
tive trade, except at some few Western
centers. 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 the retail trade the markets are in
a waiting stage. The feature in prices
has been the strength manifested by
agricultural products and provisions. The
advances in the latter, in fact, are re-
garded as foreshadowing an upward
movement in hog products, long predicted
but only partially realized. Numerous
advances in wages have still further ad-
vanced the purchasing power of the COM
munity. Disquieting advices as to inter-
national complications and less favoraple
French crop reports have furnished the
basis for slight upward movement IN
wheat Winter wheat crop advicys have
been on the whole, good, and have acted
as a balance to the stories of French
damage Corn has been strong in SYM
pathy with wheat and some renewal OF
foreign buying aided by unsatisfactory
advices as to the quality of new arrivals.
"Alone of the agricultural staples, cot
ton has weakened during the week, not
because of any impairment of the Stats
teal position, which, indeed, remains
very strong, but really because some
speculative holders have gotten tired, and
have given ear to reports of dullness in
the Gotten 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 adj
vanced proportionately as much as the
cruder forms. Wool has been more ac-
tive, but considerable business has been
done at concessions. 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 &C
tually advanced, the result being still
further shrinkage in the margin OF proht
in refining.
Little that is new is observable in the
iron and steel trade New business is o.
a hand to mouth character and this nigh
be regarded as a depressing feature werf
it not for the fact that producers are SC
heavily sold ahead. Bessemer pig iror
is still as strong as the foundry grades
are weak, but the increase in furnaces
stocks Of the latter is claimed to be
balanced by the reduction of manufacture
ers supplies.
1.-THE recent advance in leather has
tended to restrict new business, but ad
vices from the boot and shoe industry are
I.
some accumulation of stocks of lumber
and talk of overproduction in some States
of the South but price weakness is not
as yet notable. Manufacturers and job
bers in carpets and upholstery report a
heavy seasons business booked.
Wheat, including -four shipments for
the week aggregate 2,962,349 bushels
against 2,903, 495 bushels last week. g.
$685. 238 bushels in the corresponding week
in 1899; 3,550,664 bushels in 1898; 2,464,-
645 bushels in 1897 and 1,693,927 bushels
in 1895; since July LIST, this season, the
exports of wheat aggregate lat, IL, 63(
bushels, against 1S4,960, 740 bushels last
year, and $50 O67 ,552 bushels in 1928.
Corn exports for the week aggregate
3,193,63S bushels, against 3,123,848 bushels
last week; 2,411,4 bushels in this week
a year ago; 4,5O7,722 bushels in 1898
4970.127 bushels in 1897, and 2,199,5 64
bushels in 1896. Since July list this sea-
son corn exports aggregate 155, 761, 615
bushels, against 127 565, 025 bushels during
the same period a year ago, and 135, 551,-
GAO bushels in 1S979S
Business failures in the United States
for the week number IT'S, as compared
with 1872 last week; 100 in this week
year ago; 226 in 1898; PIP in 1897, and
236 in 1896. Business failures in the
Dominion of Canada for the week number
25, as against % last week; SO in this