The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-07-18
BETTER THINGS
In the Business World With
Each Succeeding Week
In Matters of Labor Disturbance
and Weather Conditions.
THE OUTLOOK is GOOD.
The Crops Are Now Making
Rapid Progress.
THE OUTLOOK is GOOD.
Railway Traffic Is Heavy and
Earnings Show Increase.

ANEW Lbihy July lo--IN. 4(OA "
Cos Weekly Review of Trade says:
Conditions continue satisfactory
outside the region of speculation, many
reports indicating further improve
ment. During recent months the two
disturbing factors have been labor con-
troversies and weather conditions. but
each week has brought better things in
these two respects until the outlook
contains much that is encouraging.
Crops are making rapid progress and
the army of unemployed is diminishing.
Railway traffic is heavy, earnings thus
far reported for June exceeding last
years by 1876 per cent and those of
1901 by 1872 per cent. Retail trade in
seasonable merchandise is fully uD to
the average, and there is less than the
customary midsummer quiet among
wholesalers while the preparations of
5obbers and manufacturers indicate
confidence in a large fall business.
Unsettled conditions still exist In
forge and foundry pig iron markets.
while Bessemer iron is only barely
steady The chief difficulty appears to
be the inclination of prospective pur-
chasers to wait for the lowest possible
quotations. This is a condition to be
expected in a declining market but ap-
present instance. Current consumpti ton
IS heavy and the delay is only in con-
nection with distant deliveries. Struc-
tural steel begins to- reflect the settle
ment Of labor troubles in the building
trades, but several complete undertake
lngs have been postponed until next
year Merchant steel and pipe are in
better demand. several large contracts
being under negotiation. Steel rails
are sold well into 1904 and other rail-
way equipment IS still one of the best
features in the industry Southern iron
furnaces and steel mills are at
strike"
1t is a season of uncertainty in the
manufacture of cotton goods. every
thlng in the nature of Improvement can
be expected until the artificial position
OF the raw material is radically altered.
supplies Of cotton goods in first hands
are low and there is no effort to make
spot sales. Buyers fill their require
ments for immediate distribution but in
no department of this great industry is
there any inclination to anticipate needs
or even the near future AS supplies d.
!nlhlsh there IS a corresponding stiffen-
ing of quotations. Mills are steadily
curtailing production both here and
abroad. Now light weight woolens are
being opened with fair results onlv
buyers exhibiting no3anxiety regarding
tne future. Silks are firm owing to
curtailed production and the high prices
commanded by the raw material.
western jobbers are operating freely
IN the Boston footwear market, both on
contracts for spring goods and sunDIe-
mentary fall orders. -
allures this week were Is in the
United states against 10 last year and
sixteen in Canada compared with 20 a
year ago."
Bradstreets says:
wen nigh perfect Summer weather
helps crops, increases confidence in fan
traue ana stimulates retail and summer
resort business. Lower prices for many
staples are really an encouraging de-
velopment. Six months railway earn
ings returns-two-thirds of the country's
mileage epresented-shOW a gain of
over IL per cent over the best ever re-
corded, while roads thus far reporting
Tor the first week of July show a gain
of nearly Is per cent These figures
confirm the claim that present business
IS the largest ever handled for a mid
summer period
THE salient features in trade reports
this week are the better tone of trade
0dyices from the southwest, where the
Keeling grows that a large business will
ne done The unsatisfactory outlook
for immediate and future supplies Of
cotton limits activity in cotton at the
east, but the wool market is strong.
with more doing both in the raw ma
1eTial and in the manufactured product
FINAL returns of foreign trade point to
the largest aggregate on record, due,
AAbWtNtls u 10 per cent gam IN imports,
because exports fell off 2 per cent from
last year and per cent from the record
of 1901.
The iron trade is quiet enough on the
surface, but production and consump-
ton are alike enormous. though pres
sure of the latter tends to ease in quota
lions for iron and steel Western mar
kets note reductions in pig iron and bill
lets, with large business done at the
concessions, and southern iron has been
cut without evoking much new bust
ness. Tin and copper are weak and low
er on large shipments in the case of the
former and on alleged overproduction in
the case Of the latter.
Hides and leather are weaker at the
Fast, but eastern shoe shipments are far
In excess of last year for the week and
season
Business failures III the United States
for the week ending with July 16 num-
Der l7S, against 154 last week IVA in the
like week of 1872, % in l91, % in 1900 and
ia in 1899 In Canada for the week Is.
rs against 20 last week and Il in. this
week year ago"