The daily silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1903-1907, 1903-08-13
PRICES G ADU4LLY SETTLING

PktkES VI AUC NILt ~
A certain tendency in business i
developing throughout the country.
1t began to show itself some months
ago, and it's existence was at that time
limited at, but it is only quite recently
that it has become manifest and las
week it became pronounced. This
drift in trade is like the turn Of a
tide, slight at first and subsequently
becoming marked. 1t is a general
downward tendency in prices.
1t can be seen anywhere by those
who are accustomed to peer closely
into thicSs around them. Taking the
country as a whole, or a community
even, retail prices are somewhat b.
low these of a year or two ago. High
er-priced goods are selling more
slowly, while the medium grades a.e
meeting with more demand. The
labels on goods in the shop windows
are telling their mute story to those
who remember how those same labels
looked two or three years ago. The
economical man, the close buyer, is
the first to perceive the difference be-
tween now and then. He cannot re-
member any particular date when he
first noticed the change, for it has
crept into trade so gradually that l.
has Just been noticed. But ii has got
here Just the same. II has now be-
come evident in the large wholesale
trade, and we are briefly Informed b
one OF the we'll known commercial
authorities that staple prices are
drifting lower. Food p. oducts certain
~ tend lower"
There is nothing startling aboat
this. Everybody has been expecting
and predicting it for several years.
For a time we were on the crest of a
great wave of prosperity, to employ
a phrase which has become famina-
TO every American and we all knew
that some time or other business
would quiet down. We knew, too,
that inflated prices could not last, ant
we also realized that it was not good
for the commercial or social welfare
chat they should. Profusion is I;
dangerous condition. So is high Nv
ing. But we like both. for such i
lar Bread and water is a fin
healthy diet, but we do not like it.
A glance at the condition of the
important staples will show this tren
In values better than penitent.al mr.
alizing. In the first place, whereas 70
some years the iron and steel trades
would not, and indeed could not,
promise speedy filling of orders, anC
often fatty refused to accept any NOR
new business, they now wan to make
their deliveries promptly and get thei
money. Still. the trade is by no means
dull, and nan mills have their or
der books filled for months ahead.
But the rush and fever are over. Pro
visions, TOO, as already mentioned,
are slowly settling, with the large
western packers less eager to hold UP
the market. Buyers of cotton goods
are holding off for more harmony be-
tween the quotations for the raw
product and the manufactured goods.
The woI.en goods trade is reporting
a quiet market, though there are
plenty of buyers in the market and the
raw wool is quoted firm and passing
rapidly from growers to mil purcras-
ers. The New England footwear fac
tories are reporting a very good bust
ness in their line, though hides and
leather have become weaker duI ing
the past month or so. and every few
DAVIS a fraction is looped off the quo
tations fer hides. Lumber is sill ac-
tive in the west. but is cuieter in the
east. and a number OF sections rep3rt a
decline In prices.
Financial considerations arc sai' 10
ha affecting building operations SO =
what along the Atlantic coast. In fact
the east seems to be tagging behind
the west in commercial activity. the
latter section reporting the demand