Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-02-05
LAST WEEKS BUSINESS.

me commercial agencies reports on
business conditions offer the money
market as the key to the whole bust
ness situation. They call attention to
the fact that the great accumulation of
surplus funds in New York have made
it about the cheapest money market in
the world and has enabled 1t to loan at
least $3.50. 00o. 900 abroad. making this
country, for the time being. a power
full creditor nation and points out that
They argue hat in a situation which
would permit the development to the
fullest extent Of this country's indus
trial and commercial possibilities, all
this credit placed abroads would be
needed at home. and the money market.
while it displays notable potential
sion in business here. Enterprise is in
considerable measure held in check and
trade is largely for immediate and
pressing requirements.
A vast business Is carried on from
day to day. and while the current
movement does not appear to be quite
as active as it was two or three weeks
ago, this Is due to purely incidental
causes and not to fundamental weak
ness. 1t is notable. in fact, that the
output in January Of new securities and
49, ..,,N --,Ae --,c rLA laruncf on
record for that month, while the Janu-
AIRY sale of bonds were the heaviest in
several years. Railroad gross earnings
during three weeks of January de-
clined 8 per cent, owing to weather
c. n6itions, and bank clearings the cur.
rent week are 81 per cent under a
year ago. The iron and steel trade,
while still operating somewhat below
full capacity. fairly maintains its re-
cent gains. The strike at Lawrence
caunse some trade repression in tex
tiles, but wool is fairly active. The
New England shoe factories are busy.
The Philadelphia hosiery and under
wear dealers report an improved de-
mand. and Baltimore clothing trade ex-
periences a pronounced gain in orders
from the south. A number of thes large
western trade centers report an en-
couraging outlook for the spring trade.
Copper is weaker. Wheat continues ir-
regular. Cotton is very quiet.
Retail business is now influenced
largely by weather conditions, which
in most sections have not been favor
able to active distribution. The Janu-
ary failure exhibit, while showing very
numerous small defaults, was favor
able in it's aggregate of liabilities. For
eign commerce continues on a large
scale, for the latest week at the port
Of New York it amounted to S4o,46s,-
s97 against s29.s19,0 70 a year ago and
s35,1 JOS. 70S in 1910. Exports We're s19,-
s1o.761. a large increase over the two
preceding years and only slightly less
than the imports.
In dry goods. business is of fair pro-
portions, altho not reaching the dl-
mansions anticipated a week ago. De-
mand for cotton goods, especially the
more staple classes, is satisfactory.
Brown sheetings and drills are steady
and Fall River reports daily sales OF
print cloths and convertibles on basis
of 4-5-16c. for 3SE-in. 64x64s. Den
tickings and other colored coarse
cottons are well sold UP for two
months. Wash fabrics are beginning
to move, but the preference appears to
be more for novelties h for staples.
New England shoe factories are
quite we'll supplied with orders and
many Of them ave contracts suf-
fcient TO last for several weeks. Bus
mess shows some improvement. altho
buyers are still operating close to pres
ent needs.