The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-02-24
ON SOUND BASIS.
Business Can No Longer Be At
fected Seriously by Weather.
Or Other Adverse Influences of
a Temporary Character.
JOBBERS ARE BUSY.
Already Shipping Large Orders
of Spring Goods.
Railway Earnings Continue to
Show Phenomenal Gains.

New York, Feb. 2.-R. G. Dun &
Co.'s Weekly Review of Trade says:
Holidays and cratic weather were
calculated to interrupt progress in com=
merciaI channels but business has be-
come esta blished on too sound a basis
to reflect adverse influences of such a
temporary character Sections that ex-
perience especially high temperature
report the early opening of spring lines
with most satisfactory results. excessive
moisture elsewhere proved beneficial for
manufacturing purposes, while at other
points seasonable merchandise was dis
tributed freely. Jobbers of dry goods,
clothing and notions are shipping large
quantities Of spring goods, accumula-
tons of heavy weight wearing apparel
having no depressing effect on the new
seasons business. Prices are firmly
held as a rule except in the market for
farm staples, which are still higher than
normal despite a general reaction Man
ufacturing plants report new orders that
assure activity still further into the fu-
ture, and several announcements show
gains over recent preceding years,
while some New England cotton mills
are only deferred from full activity by
scarcity of labor.
Railway earnings continue to make
splendid comparisons with last years
figures, February thus far recording a
gain of 1851 per cent. Foreign trade
returns in January for the whole nation
far surpassed the same month in any
previous year and the last week at this
port shows a gain of $1,141,01S in ex-
ports, but a decrease of 1877, 874 in i'm
ports as compared with 1905.
steel fabricatinS concessions have
felt the full benefit of the open winter,
structural lines leading in point of ac-
tivity and importunate buyers continue
to urge quick delivery.
Footwear manufacturers in New
England have received a good volume
of supplementary spring business at full
quotations in addition to the usual
amount already on hand and the indie
pendent position of the producers is
/ shown by the announcement that con-
tracts for fall lines will not be accept
| ed at present prices for delivery later
| than June Leather is more irregular,
| buyers operating less freely and tan
| ners are required to make concessions.
| Current hides are of poor quality and
light demand which makes prices nonai-
nally lower, although 1t is chiefly a
matter Of seasonable deterioration.
Failures this week were 21S in the
! United States, against 252 last year, and
Is in Canada, as compared with % a
year ago."
Bradstreet's says: Springlike
weather stimulates jobbing distribu-
( ton. inducing a larger volume OF
/ house trade and also helping retail
business in spring and summer fab
RIGS. Crop preparations are going
/ forward actively, and at the south
/ sons actual planting has been done
Shipments on orders are heavier than
| ever before, and no complaints of
freight congestion are heard. Al
/ practically all points an early and
! long spring season is predicted. AT
the same time there is an air OF con-
| servatism as to the more distant f1-
! ture. due mainly to the larger stocks
Of winter goods carried over, and also
because of the recent heavy drop in
raw cotton making buyers for next
season cautious in placing orders
Like conditions are noted in the lead
| ing industries. Iron and steel pro-
duction. while of unprecedented vol
ume is largely of the first half of the
years requirements, far future or
| ders being of lighter volume. Just
how much Of this is due to uncer-
/ tainties, as the coal strike situation
is not clear, but that this is factor is
und1estionable. Many commodities
4 show an easy tone, this being espe-
cialIv noticeable in breadstuffs cotton
! hides and lines of produce AFFECTED by
weather conditions. On the other
/ hand, the season favors active build
ling and lumber. brick and hardware
1 among others, are very strong It il