The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-07-16
WAITS ON CROPS
Business Situation Exhibits
Hesitation and Uncertainty.
Reports of Damage to What
Alleged TO be Exaggerated.
MUCH POWER FOR EVIL
Lies in the Strike Inaugurated
at Packing Houses.
Railway Gross Earnings Show
an Increase for the Year.

says:
divers movements in trade, indus
try and speculation give an irregular
appearance to the general business
| situation. Distributive trade and in
| dustry is still quiet and even dull,
awaiting clearer views of the crop
out-turn. Damage to the winter
wheat crop by heavy rains is admit
ted, although alleged to be exagger-
ated. DISCRIMINATION in the meat
slaughtering industry has followed
strike which if not settled, as now
seems likely, contains much power for
evil. All meat prices have been adj
vanced and cattle shipments checked.
Railway gross earnings for the fiscal
year will show an increase over the
best previous years, but net results
are less clearly defined, with the ques-
ton whether an increase or decrease
will be shown still in doubt.
1.-THE general undertone is one of
confidence, good results being looked
for by the business world from an
expected large volume of fall trade.
Viewed geographically, the south
seems easily to have the best outlook,
the cotton crop having progressed so
| far with little or no drawbacks ex-
cept the original lateness of the
spring. The outlook is for an i'm
mense cotton crop. The southern
| peach crop Ln1S year mas Deen enOr-
nous and has sold at good prices.
| Midsummer trade conditions have
dominated distributive markets Col
| lectiOnS the country over are claSsed
as little better than slow.
Among the industries the iron
| trade notes increased quiet, produc-
ton being scaled down to meet re-
ceding consumption. The only change
to note is increased firmness among
southern producers who find the
strike of coal miners in the Birming-
ham district a strengthening feature.
Finished products are quiet and even
dull. The boot and shoe industry is
rather quiet and eastern shipments
are rs per cent. behind a year ago.
Manufacturers are, however, begin
ming to purchase leather, which is
firmer and tends upward.
Rather more was reported doing
| in some kinds of cotton goods this
week, some heavy export orders being
reported at very low prices, but
against this was report that Fall
River manufacturers would make
further reduction in wages. The cot
ton goods side of the market has I'M
questionably been much improved.
been free buyers of raw material, the
result being firmnesS all along the
line and a fractional advance in
prices.
Foreign trade totals for the fiscal
year are next to the largest ever re-
ported. Imports are 3.5 per cent. less
than in 1903, and the aggregate for
eign trade is l per cent. under that
of the fiscal year 1903. Cotton was
the sheet anchor of our export trade,
while breadstuffs shipments fell to a
low ebb. Exports of manufactured
goods have, however, exceeded all pre-
vious years.
Business failures in the United
States for the week ending July IA
number 203, against 172 last week,
1aS in the like week in 1903. ia in
n md IN,
In Canada failures for the week num-
Der Is, as against IA last week and
ID in this week year ago.
r. G. Dun & Co.'S Weekly Review of
Trade says: i
TRADE conditions were gradually be-
coming more normal after the conclu- |
sion of political conventions, when a |
new disturbing factor appeared in the /
strike of packing house employees and |
allied trades. This enhanced prices of |
meats and added many thousands to the
already large army of unemployed, |
weakening the purchaser power of the |
people still further. Aside from this I'M
favorable development, the news of the |
week contained much encouragement |
Crop prospects improved and the gem
eral level prices for farm products
promises a large return to agriculture
lists, which means better business for |
all industries. Confidence grows with |
the crops, retailers showing more dis
position to prepare for the future as
the season advances with no serious |
setback to the farms. A few manufac-
turing lines are more active, although |
there is still much idleness at the shops
and mills and pig iron output for July |
VIII be smaller than any recent month.
Reports of increased plans for erection |
of buildings are not accompanied by
any noteworthy expansion in demand |
for structural materials as yet. Rail- |
are only per cent lower than last
year and foreign trade at this port |
showed gains of $3.50, 2S6 in exports and
81. COG, 724 in imports as compared with |
the corresponding week year ago.
Textile manufacturing plants are OPP
Grating somewhat irregularly, regula-
ton of wages by Fall River concerns
having been decided upon, and this may
result in the general resumption so
great desired. In the primary market
for cotton goods there is a disposition
to maintain quotations, sellers declin-
ing to consider bids below the level re-
Gently reached. Orders are still limited |
to small. quantities for quick delivery.
Export buying has again provided the
best feature of the market, stocks of
heavy sheetings and drills being fairly
week has brought the opening up of
new lines of medium grade mems wear
at about last years prices. This fact
and some resumption of clothing fac
tories combined to increase sales, put
ting this industry in a better position
than other textiles. Footwear markets
are more active, many western buyers
having appeared in Boston and a fair
volume of supplementary fall orders
have been placed. Tanners who are
short of hides are unable to secure de-
liveries on account of the strike, and
the situation threatens to become seri-
GUS if the struggle is prolonged. This
influence is calculated to advance the
hide market.
Failures this week numbered 225 in
the United States, against 213 last year
and 20 in Canada, against 16 year
Il