Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-02-08
THE STATE OF TRADE

/
! progress, with industrial operations
slowly expanding, the situation III
purely commercial lines displays some
irregularity. amounting, in fact, to re-
action at markets heretofore relative
ny busy Lest too much Importance
be attached TO this aspect of affairs, II
should be stated that the setback noteu
ar some points has been somewhat Off
set by forward strides at southwest
ern centers, where spring trade mas
opened rather auspiciouSiy, ana on inc
whole the evidence seems to indicate
creeping progress. with sentiment as to
the future more optimistic than actual
/ orders arep rominent. In many lines
| there is considerable room for i'm
provemnt, and with such conditions
! existing. modifying terms must fire.
! quently be employed in describing at
/ fairs in their general aspects and as
| they apply TO the country as aW mole.
However, idleness, tho still bulkinS
| large is decreasing, war orders keep
many plants busy to capacity, invest
ment demand for prime bonds is heavy
export trade continues OF extraordinary
proportious with unprecedented ex-
cesses over imports. money is easy
retail trade, helped by clearance sales
and favored by snow over wide area
| is more active, farmers are obtaining
very high prices for cereals, wheat ex-
ports are very large. the southern cot
ton situation is improving, stocks of
goods in country districts are light,
road orders exhibit some expansion,
lumber continues TO reflect slow i'm
proyement. farm machinery is in bet
ter demand the winter wheat crop,
iamply provided with snow. as 1t is, is
lin good shape on a record breaking
area and preparations are being MADE
for considerable increase IN acreages
devoted to food crops in general. with
soil conditions the country over favor
liable On the other hand, the stock
market is reactionary, collections are
ltardy, which fact makes dealers chary
about selling new bills Of goods to al
ready elinauent customers, bankers are
not disposed to encourage speculation,
and bad roads in many country dis
tricts hold up purchases.
Northwestern houses. having already
5 booked good volume OF orders for
spring shipment, are not so busy Is
5 last week, and jobbing trade in the
: west lacks the snap displayed during
: the first three weeks Of January. the
i high price of wheat, based largely or
). actual foreign necessity, is reflected IN
IS flour and, in turn, in actual or pre-
dicted advances in the price OF bread
n or what is the same thing, lessenins
: Of the size of the loaf. Reports from
g the south, tho indicating that trade
d is far below normal, suggest that i'm
:. proyenent in cotton, with enormou!
n exports of that staple. ana better de
r mand for export lumber and manu-
k featured textiles, makes for more re
assuring future. Southwestern advice
q are more ldNDi dbiS 40" s'''N -NO'
h any other section, markets catering Z
o. the wants of cotton growing section
e being benefited by the freer movemen
Is OF the staple, while high prices 10
Y cereals, plus a good export demand 10
e horses and mules, have caused spr!n
buying to open auspicously, thus en-
- Ia re,inp horuse trade in a conservatiV
If way. Most Texas points say hous
10 trade is more in evidence, and som
q declare that retail trade Is better tina
y anticipated. In the far northwest an
j. IN TO the Pacific coast sentiment Is en-
Or couraging, with Oregon points denot
le ins Improvement in distribution
le Wa shineton centers displaying quie
le presumably because OF the low pric
r of lumber, while in California rain
err tho beneficial to crops, have tempo
l. rarily retarded trade. In the east man
e. lines continue dull, out in some r.
spects the textile situation is bette
is plants making up war supplies al
is busy and it is evident that unemplo,
vs. ment is decreasing.
~ II