Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-05-04
BUSINESS FEATURES.

l
& Co., industrial progress did not suffer
any severe check on May i. Many
threatened labor controversies We're
averted, and. by adjustment of differ
ences, resumption Of work occurred at
numerous idle plants. Considering the
extent of agitation during April actual
results are decidedly satisfactory. While
organized labor In the United States has
been contending for higher wages and
shorter hours, with such success as to
secure better terms than ever before,
strikes in other nations have been
against lower wages, and not always
successful. Consequently, it is only
natural that immigration should eclipse
all previous records. At the leading
cities high temperate re ras stimulated
the distribution of seasonable merchan-
disc at retail, but dry goods jobbers and
commission houses report only a fair
trade. Leading manufacturing lines are
active, except for some hesitancy at
textile mills. In iron and steel. footwear.
furniture, harness and clothing there is
little idle machinery. Structural work
is vigorously prosecuted and supplies of
building material are not allowed to ac-
cumuiate. A special canvass Of the
white pine situation bv correspondents
of this paper shows low stocks and high
prices, alttio the seasons cut was large
Mercantile payments arc fairly prompt,
yet there is less disposition to antici-
pate payments for cash discount as
frequently occurred last year. Railway
earnings for April were 1872 per cent
larger than last year and 27.6 per cent
in excess of 1901. Trading in securities
has been very light since the occupancy
ow the new stock exchange, which ac-
counts for the fall of GOA per cent in
bank exchanges at New York from last
years figures and 40.3 per cent COM
pared with 1901.
Deliveries of coke on old contracts are
now so large that reselling frequently
occurs. and in SO far as the fuel ques-
ton is concerned there appears no pros
pect of interruption, while it is difficult
to maintain quotations OF Connelsville
coke. An unusually heavy ore tonnage
has been arranged to lower lake ports,
preparations indicating that no diminu
ton in iron and steel activity is antici-
pated. Textile mills have not yet felt
ditions, altho improvement in retail
trade will ultimately accelerate jobbing
sales, which in turn will increase pur-
chases from the manufacturers. Owing
To the inadequate supply of orders, idle
machinery is no longer exceptional at
wooden mills, yet western holders of raw
wool refuse to make any concessions,
and the future course of prices is be-
uncertain. Exceptionally ia
yorable conditions exist in the footwear
industry, New England producers ship
ping more heavily than ever before, and
jobbers are still purchasing freely of
heavy shoes. A careful survey of the
winter wheat situation by branch offices
of r. G. Dun & Co., in that region, en-
dorses earlier predictions of very large
Weld. Some discoloration by excessive
moisture is not considered of impor
lance. and the lack of erouth is most
encouraging Neither frosts nor insects
have done the average harm.
Failure returns for the month of April
make a gratifying exhibit as to number,
but the amount of liabilities involved
was very large. Strictly commercial
defaults numbered $50, with an indebt-
edness of s11,S11,9 1867, against $50 fail
ures for $7,359,341 in the corresponding
of 1902, and 1853 defaults involv
ing only s5,5T,22 in April, 1901, which
was in every respect . month of re-
markably low mortality in the CONNER
cial world. Classification of defaults
last month shows that 212 occurred In
manufacturing with $6.296,295 liabili-
ties, compared with 220 year ago for
s2,90S,S17. This heavy increase in LA
bilities of insolvent concerns was chiefly
due to twelve defaults aggregating $4,-
21,S20, leaving less than one-thlrd of
the total manufacturing loss for the