New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-12-16
CONDITION OF TRADE.
"Dun's RevieM' says

The betterment in industrial and trade
conditions, signs OF which have been Wis
ible 10 close observers Tor two months, has
now become plain 10 all and is rejected
by the expansion i'm bank clearingS and
railroad earnings, the big uplift in the
iron and steel trade. the advance In cop
FER the increased activity I'm drygoods, the
brisker demand for money, and in the
confidence inspired by the record breaking
cotton crop OF upward OF 100000 bales
There is no disposition 10 minimize the
problems still unsolved, but business men
are disposed 10 move ahead in spite OF
them, and the situation as the year draws
10 o close is SO much more encouraging as
70 be the years most conspicuous deVel-
opment. The holiday trade is notably ac-
tive In all the large cities. This retail
activity. coupled with the unusually warm
weather and the end Of the year account
ing. operates 10 make wholesale operations
slower but there has been no real check
to the expansion in business. The improve
ment i'm iron and steel grows steadily ana
is accompanied with advances In prices
The outlook for the now year Is exceed
ingly promising. In the drySoods trade
the most notable development Is the bet
torment i'm woollens and worsteds silks are
also stronger. Leather Is dull, but prices
firm. Hides are weak. Copper stocks de-
cline and copper prices advance. Railroad
earnings I'm the first week OF December in
creased ca per cent and bank clearings
this week gained 30 per cent outside ard
SO per cent I'm New York over 1910. while
as compared with 1909 there were declines
OF is and 1871 per cent respectively. TAX
ing the whole situation into consideration.
IL looks as il December would be better
than November i'm trade expansion. just as
November was better than the preceding
months. The latest weeks foreign com
merce exhibit for the port Of New York
is gratifying Exports Of Sl7,S2,7B We're
not only Sl623.j23 larger than the imports.
but were 50. i06139 larger than in 1910 and
S3,549,j63 larger than In 1909.
"Bradstreet's" says:
Two features stand out prominently in
the weeks trade news-the admittedly ac-
and the undeniably better undertone in
iron and steel, price advances being sig
niticant i'm connection with finished steel.
on the other hand, trade in other lines
has receded a little. In fact, general
survey Indicates that the weather has been
too mild for a free distribution Of season
able goods at. retail while jobbing trade
has been confined mainly to hlling-ln or
ders for fancy articles suitable to holiday
requirements and wholesale business re-
fleets the influences or the inventory sea
son Travelling statesmen are in from the
road waiting for the turn of the year, ana
i'm the mean time developments regarding
.Dring trade are not especially noteworthy.
Though present conditions in the larger
lines spell more or less quetnesS there Is
an undertone of confidence, which is un-
marred by complaints, except as 10 profits.
Indeed the repression now in evidence Is
simply a natural corolary Of the season.
Assembling OF goods for buyers inspection
next month is going on, and the outlook
seems to suggest a reasonably good but
probably conservative business, when retail
dealers can turn their attention from holi-
day trade and provided. Of course. mat
colder weather ensues to permit them 70
work off winter-weight goods.