Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-11-06
PANAMA'S NEW GOVERNMENT
MERCANTILE AGENCY.
Intervention of Election Week Served
 to Check Retail Sales.

to Check Retail Sales
 New York. Nov 6.-Special tele- graphic reports from correspondents of the International Mercantile agen-, cy throughout the United States and Canada, regarding the state of trade, are summarized as follows:
 The intervention of election in elev- en states. with q week of mild weath- CT. has served to check retail sales of 5seasonable goods, notably clothing and millinery, but canvass of leading jobhers in staple lines at important cities indicates that the seasons total business is somewhat in excess of ex- pecbat1ons. Boston reports orders for cotton goods larger than year ago. but merchants show a conservative disposition. At Philadelphia general trade has been of only fair volume, at St Louis little less active. at St Paul 1t is increasing, but is smaller than a year ago, while in Texas the volume Is not large for the season. Chicago explains that buying has been in small Ter lots and that railways operating east are carrying Jess tonnage At Buffalo elevators are nearly full of SAsNAAA p11N1 SOAAty1dNh OL NoA shortage.
 Merchants, as well as nnanufactur- CTS. say hhe cut of $4.OO a ton for steel bhlets, with accompanying reductions in prices of finished steel which, it is conceded. must follow, will hasten the industrial revival which they say must appear when steel quotations show a shrinkage corresponding to that in iron. More mills and factories have closed. and some have re- opened About 25,O00 iron and steel employees are idle temporarily. Some 30,000 iron Ruddlers will have wages reduced No vember 10. Unless one or the other side recedes, about 75.0O0 coal miners in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and adjacent regions will strike on Novem- Der 9. Stock yard and traction labor disputes affect Chicago interests un- favorably. Philadelphia textile mills report orders slow.
 Tn financial circles. features have been the ease with which the Wall street stock market resiSts shock, the ease with which gold was engaged for import after the first flush of cotton export bills, and the increased irIn- ness of money at the west, where as
 
 Chicago bankers say, continued ten sion is promised for the next four weeks. At the northwest demand for crop moving funds will not reach the maximum until the ground freezes, Minneapolis bankers report. The furry in St Louis banking circles has disappeared and collections there in most lines. as at Baltimore Chicago and Cleveland, are better. At Phil- adelpfia payments have been prompt in some lines. but slow in others. At St Paul, too. they are less satisfactory than looked for later.
 The cotton crop, representing $100,- O00,O00 more than that of last year, even if no larger, points to further financial drafts to market it. The big rush of corn and wheat to market is yet to come forward, although receipts of both are growing. Wheat seeding at the south west is completed, and needed rains have fallen.
 The demand for staple merchandise at Montreal, particularly shoes and leather, has continued strong, and at Toronto distribution has been active, notably of merchandise for delivery in the northwest. At Ottawa the results of the seasons business were consid- cred as good, if not better, than last year. but profits were not as large. There is a general tendency toward retrenchment in trade lines, and the depression in iron and steel in those states is reflected here. Railroads have been economizing in the matter of unnecessary expenses. The grain movement is not as rapid as expected, as farmers are financially able to hold it. The years output of cheese in the Dominion has been very heavy. ex- ports being valued at $25,O00,O GOO, against $21, 100000 last year.