The Washington herald., 1908-02-01
Improvement Noted
in Trade Developments.
BUYING ON REDUCED PRICES
Winter Stimulates Retail Sales Of
SeasOnabIe GoOds-Buyers Are Com
servative in OrderinE-Hank Fail
ures Only Negatively Tnfnv0rabIc.
Bradstreet's and Dun's Reports.

Of the state of trade tomorrow will say:
Trade and financial developments
have been of a rather irregular charac-
ter but, on the whole in the direction of
future Improvement at the larger centers.
Real winter weather. long desired, has
given stimulus to retail trade in season.
able goods. There has been more done
also at wholesale and by jobbers in dry
goods and kindred lines. this buying
however being of small lots and for
prompt shipment
Buyers Are Conservative.
Conservatism IN ordering is noted as a
counter wide condition. but recent price
reductions have unquestionably stimu-
lated interest On the other hand bust
ness for January has not equaled by
any means that done i'm the same month
year ago: industry has been rather
slack, and the report Of the cOuntry's
largest industrial corporation shows
clearly the effect of past disturbances in
an almost perpendicular drop in earnings
THE suspensions of four banks at the
metropolis after all, was only negative
" unfavorable. these being the after
math Of last autumn financial storm.
Trade reports are. as above utfmated
Irregular, with lines supplying absolute
necessities noting most activity. but with
dry goods distribution apparently tend
ing to increase because Of recent cuts in
prices. The buying in this line is, how
ever. small and frequent. and there is
general agreement that country mer-
chants are conservative. being believed
to be carrying good sized stocks.
Cuts in Price.
Lower prices Tor builders hardware
are reported to have stimulated some in
quiry. There is talk of possible cutting
of lumber prices. which Is not, however.
likely to prove permanent with any partic-
ular expansion in activity in the spring
The cancellation Of orders is still dis
turbing factor In some lines. but there
seems this week to be rather more re-
ports of reinstatement of orders previously
rejected.
Holding of cotton is stil assigned as a
cause for slow collections and cancella-
tious at the South"
Dun's View of situation.
r. G.. Dun x Co.'S review Uiu say.
"seasonable weather and d further in
crease in the percentage OF active ma
chinery combined 10 improve the trade sit
uation. although there is still "a large
number Of unemployed. and dealers pro-
ceed cautiously in preparing for future
business.
Prices OF commodities have declined
on the whole, get products Of the leading
industries are fairly we'll maintained.
Mercantile collections are irregular, de
spite the ease In the money market.
There was little uneasiness regarding
the additional bank ClOSings. as IL was
realized that these suspensions ware only
the aftermath OF the October panic and
represented no new cause for alarm.
Railroad Earnings shxink.
Railway earnings IN January were I5.3
per cent less than in 1851. Foreign COM
merce, at this port alone, for the week
showed gain Of S. 465. .sl5 i'm exports and
a decrease Of S4.669 $50 in imports as COM
pared with the same week last year.
Money is abundant and cheap. even
mercantile loans being at ~ per cent
while foreign exchange rates rose nearer
the point at which gold may be sent
abroad.
More iron ana steel plants have re-
sumed. and the outlook is brighter. even
railway equipment attracting more atten-
ton. The situation is better because of
the extent to which consumers seek
prompt delivery, indicating that the re-
cent season Of conservatism has nearly
exhausted stocks, and suggesting that
when confidence is fully restored. "A vast
tonnage of deferred business will be
placed.
Textile markets are still somewhat
unsettled. cotton goods having to contend
with crratic variations in the raw ma
tcTial, i'm addition 90 other disturbing in
1uenCes. In some directions there is more
activity but in other cases there are fire.
quent Inquiries without actual transac-
tons Consummation of much business
seems TO be postponed by the question Of
price. some buyers believing that further
recession is Inevitable.
Commercial failures this week in the
United States are AIS, against 4l6 last
"N'h' 1A' tiv plSetuiHs NSthr ana 80 tHt
corresponding week last year Failures
in Canada number IS, against 43 last
week, 80 the preceding week, and . last
year.
"Of failures this week in the United
States. 1l5 were in the East. 73l South, 81
West, and 70 in the Pacific states, and
10 report liabilities of 5000 or more.
against I54 last week. Liabilities of COM
mercial failures thus far reported for
January are S2l, ,S45,647, against s11. .092. .l53
for the same period the previous year"
LIVE STOCK MARKET.
Chicago. Jan. Receipts 900:
steady Prime beevez 490st 10. moor tn medium