The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-04-05

one, admit that the decrease of business
IS pertinent cause.
The monthly bank clearings for the
last six months follow:
October. 1903 81. 4s5. 737 O2
November 1903 ......,.. G. e55' 026 Il
december. 1903 ............... 6,304, 064. 49
January, 1904 -................ 4,59S, $40. 30
FEBRUARY, 1904 ................ 3255. O1O rs
AadFch, 1SO4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. 8, 49,. 301.87
John R. Mulvane, president of the To-
peka Clearing House association was
asked about the matter. He replied:
business has decreased. But this con-
IS so In New York 1t viii pick up
again. Such things come I have not
investigated the matter for figures"
ffed freeman. cashier of the Der-
chants National bank. stated that he
mas noticed no appreciate decrease in
the amount Of clearings through his
pank- It does not seem to me either
that the business has decreased per-
ceptlbIy continued Mr.. Freeman. 1T
Is ABOUT the same as usual"
Z Il. Hawley, cashier of the First
national bank, was approached with.
the same question Yes, the clearings
commercial business is somewhat
lighter also just now. There are var
lous reasons to be assigned for that.
Many of the Rock Island pay checks,
which formerly used to go to the Cen
trail and National banks of Topeka,
here, now to a great extent go directly
into Chicago OF course, they miss the
clearing house in Topeka altogether
when that is done. A big decrease can
be explained in this way. Then the
high price of wheat has caused the
millers to buy much less than they did
last fall. Less money is being circU-
lated in that way. There is a. decrease
in business, but the decrease in the
amount of clearings and the CONNER
cial business is not by any means
parallel. Simply because the clearings
arc low does not say that the business
is also down. There is, however, a
slight falling off in the amount of
business. but it is hard to reckon just
how much-'
Charles Downing was seen at the
Central National bank. There is a
decrease in the amount of clearings, "
he said, but I do not think it amounts
to anything. There is nothing to worry
about at all. There may be tremen-
dOus volume of business and yet lots
of it may miss the clearing house, be
cause it does not go that way. The
Rock Island checks going right into
Chicago have decreased the clearing
house figures Some other causes have
had a similar effect. The business is
a little lighter now, perhaps, than a
few months ago. but then the season
is a little dull.
1t is of course impossible to get any
thing like an accurate estimate of the de-
crease in the amount of commercial busl-
ness in the city for the last several
books of the banks. and is not for pub
lie eyes That there IS a lighter volume
is evident from the statements OF the
/ bankers themselves. but all of them take
an optimistic view of the matter and as
cribe it to conditions of season and cir
! cum stances which arise at any time They
/ were all asked if the political situation,
either municipal or the approaching ma
tfonal contest was a factor in the de-
/ crease and all of them replied in the
There is a slight depression all over the
country in the clearings and in the vol
ume OF commercial business Kansas city
was a little higher last month than in
February, but it has had its inning, too
/ within the last few weeks In New York,
! Boston Philadelphia and Chicago the
same conditions with reference TO clear
/ ings exists as in Topeka. There has
doubtless been a cessation of business 70
I a greater or less degree, and this fact Is
/ showing up in the total monthly agsre-
gates of the clearings- Exterior results
may have entered into it, but II can De
sa felv stated that the volume of business
/ in the middle west and in the northeast
1 ern part Of the United States has been on
/ the wane for the last few months 1t
win probably pick up again before sum
mer without having any more effect upon
! general financial matters than 1t has
/ had during the past six months OF de-
] crease.