New-York tribune., 1908-07-18
CONDITION OF TRADE.
Review" says:

Improvement is slow. but there is definite evil
dence OF progress In the right direction. Com
PARSONS with last years measures of commercial
activity are, steadily CROWNS, closer railway way
of only 11.2 per cent. whereas the difference was
over 20 per cent short time ago commerciaf al
liabilities while bank exchanges. no longer ex-
alit are more prompt One Of the best signs is the
agreement upon lower wage scales without
ont adjustment TO altered conditions. Current
retail Trade is of fairly good dimensions for the
season and Inventories indicate that recovery is
not menaeed by heavy stocks. although IT has
been necessary in many cases to remove acumu-
Preparation for fall and winter trade is most
active in the West. but there is growing feel
i,s bgs good go progress on the farms Foreign com
nierce still shows heavy losses when compared
ereasis @Ie So for the whole country while
this, port alone shipments decreased s4,s5s.sl5
and imports fell off s-.253.l42. Money has con-
ernment deposits and further exports of gold,
while the average OF the sixty most active rail.
August with the exception of few days in May.
less than in the same week last, year. while at
other leading cities there was d loss of lls per
cent
Br.:dstreets says:
Trade and industry still in condition
midsummer quiet. with preparations for fail trade
stimulated 10y generally good crop progress. going
run.; operations pending clearer views of ulti-
mate s.ropgand political results. Dry weather has
reduced spring wheat and vegetable prospects
slightly IN some sections, but has made up
SOM. Of t;s earlier lost ground, and cotton
noIfs are more uniformly favorable than for some
time past. Activity i'm retail trade Is centred IN
ihe disposal OF surplus stocks of summer goods
al concessions, but reduced public buying ability
is reflected ia reports from some centres of slow
nrogress IN clearing shelves OF goods. Jobbing
tiyify is stil mainly confined To filing small but
freoiIent repeat orders for fabrics. though
a few Southern and Northwestern points report
enlargement of fakngs for fall. Wholesale trade
is nTfparing for future requirements but primary
lines of production running within control and
rurtafled outputs still feature IN most lines
of industry Raw materials for manufacture have
frmer tone. but staple WOODS are frrnest IN that
market. clothing grades being comparatively
neglected Openings Of spring mems wear WOOL
lens are generally at reductions from the preced-
ing season. There is little life in building
lines particularly South and West. and yellow
zinc IS fIrrner, with optimistic predictions from
co,,.bern and Pacific Northwestern iumbermen.
1.nal is "A little more active at tie West, dun
al the East and low priced everywhere Iron and
steel are quiet. but a slightly larger percentage
~ finished capacity Is claimed working a larger
,,anortion Of this. however, than usual on ex-
,oT~ business The railroads doing q trfe bet
,s.. following a poor report for June, when gross
sarnincs fcil q per cent below the month
v.;,r ago larger Skinner Iravel. INCREASED fruit
nl vegetable Shipments and finally the beginning
of the winter wheat movement To market, all help
fux 10 some esi~