The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1911-06-07

THE WEEK
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improvements in business senti-
ment still holds, but it is more man
ifest In the East than in the West, and
in the securities market than in the
| principal industries. There is, how
ever, to be noted some expansion i'm
the demand for cotton goods. retail
trade i'm particular showing more ac-
tivity, and the hope is expressed that
the limit of curtailment of production
has been reached. Larger sales are
noted in the shoe trade and leather
and hides are more active. In iron
and steel a decided cut is made i'm the
| price of steel bars, and there are fur
/ ther concessions in the prices of pig
iron. This has had an unsettling ef-
feet, not only in the iron and steel
trade, but TO some extent in business
| generally. Crop prospects continue to
improve and this fact constitutes the
strongest basis for the future in a
gradual expansion of industrial activ-
ity as the year advances. Meanwhile
the banks keep piling up additional
cash resources, and their capacity for
credit expansion is greater than in
many years, while the admission of
trust companies into New York Clear
ing House strengthens the financial
situation to an extent that is scarcely
appreciated, but which pakeS this
one OF the most important banking
| in
! ings during two weeks of May de
creased OIL per cent. as compared
with last year, bank clearings this
week make substantial gains the in
creaSeS being 10 per cent over 1910
and G.l per cent. over 1909 outside of
New York, and 1910 and 9.S per cent.
respectively, in New York. In all of
the leading industries the growth of
export trade is still striking and
favorable feature of the situation; and
again IN New York, during the latest
week, the exports exceeded the i'm
ports, though that is chiefly an import
city; exports were $l5,37O,51l, or
S3"2,5IO in excess of the imports i'm
1909 the excess imports were $3,3G3,-
O5l and $5,O24,132, respectively. The
business situation. therefore. as a
whole, presents II number OF elements
ol Improvement, and while the increase
In actual transactions is very SLOW
and in some places not discernaDle in
any appreciable degree an advance
has undoubtedly been made.
More active retail buying has been
accompanied by broader purchasing
iii the primary markets for spot and
future delivery of cotton goods for
converting and manufacturing pur-
poses. Prices on gray and bleached
cottons are advancing in a steady way
many well-known makes being from
l-Sc to l-4c per yard higher. That
prices are still below producing costs
is indicated by the larger measure OF
restriction of output that is announc-
ed. Export sales and shipments are
ahead of last year in the cotton goods
division. I'm dress goods the trend to-
ward rough effects is marked and
woolen mills are getting the benefit
as against worstcd mills. There is a
very active demand Tor mems wear
serges which has disclosed a paucity
OF stocks in second hands. Consum-
ers are operating more freely in old
wool in the Eastern markets ana the
volume of sales is the largest for
many weeks, although at unchanged
prices despite the hardening tendency
at the Test Dunn's Review.