Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-05-22
TINE STATE OF TRADE.

|
Trade is much more than normally
active for this season Of the year; fill
ing-in orders. are quite liberal; buying
for fall shipment, following record
purchases since the first Of the year
is still good; labor continues In scan,
supply: the strike situation. tho indi-
eating unrest and in some cases offer
ling inconveniences<i auieter while
wages keep on rising.
Money is IN better demand, coilec-
tons are good. and in some lines they
are better than normal. Increased
dividends attract attention. railway
traffic is heavy. earnings large. and
embargoes, Notwithstanding improve
ment in the car supply, are still being
maintained against one section or an
other. In fact. complaints about in
ability TO get prompt deliveries con-
tinue quite prominent.
Prices for hogs, cattle. sheep, cotton
and anthracite coal go on rising cot
ton being at the highest point reached
since July Of 1914. and prices for meat
animals were never higher in the
month Of May. heavy home trade and
export demand bolstering quotations.
Wheat is lower on old-crop liquidation
and peace talk, which latter, however.
helps cotton. II is significant of pros
porous conditions that the high cost of
edibies does not beget widespread
agitation. and in this respect the
present situation is unlike that of 1910,
w hen meat boycotss were prominent.
Shoe manufacturing is active. and
buying is maintained at high mark
despite extraordinary prices. Bank
clearings exceed those Of last week by
a fair margin, and they excel by two
fifths payments made in the CORE
spending weeks of 1915 and 1914. The
stock exhibits marked irregularity,
trading IS largely professional and
price movements are Of a seesaw
vances, first in one group, then in an
other. with most strength in the rail-
road list.
Activity is still the dominant feature
in practically all commercial and in
dustrial channels, and the phrase sold
ahead" typifies conditions that but
tress most lines of enterprise. Yet II
is probable that in. the current week
new business has receded somewhat
by contrast with the preceding super
abundant activity, and 1t is evident
that while buyers Of essential staples
are still concerned about probable
future supplies they are purchasing
more slowly, hrst to guard against
loading up too heavily with stocks,
and secondly they are hoping that
prices will recede. This streak of con-
servatism, running, as it does. like a
thin line thru an otherwise excep-
tionally active situation, is also due
to growing discussions regarding
prices having reached zenith point. to
persistent talk Of peace in Europe. to
the desrability Of predicating further
moves on crop promises. in some re-
spects to the failure Of retail trade
10 move more freely, an incident OF
cold, rainy weather, and to indications
of the lifting Of the strain on supplies
of semi finished steel.
Dun's Chicago report says: Pro-
duction and distribution. construction
and freight movements excel all
former best records. The position in
credits Is very encouraging. there be-
| ing a decline in commercial failures
and increasing discount taking on
merchandise bills. Money remains
ample for prospective needs rates are
steady and below normal, while pay
ments thru the banks maintain high
/ est daily average for this city. Cen
eral merchandise markets were we'll
attended by outside buyers and con-
| sidera BILE pressure again developed In
the textiles, clothing and footwear for
| fall requirements. The bookings ex-
hibit increase over this time last year.
Road and mail orders have been sus-
tanned and collections show crafty
ing promptness. Dealings in the re-
tail lines adequate absorption turnout
the interior; locally, higher tempera-
lures were lacking for a satisfactory
movement in the leading wares. but,
On the whole. aggregate sales testify
to wider consumption and rising de-
mand for the more costly goods. Build
ing permits, ss,3s1,eoo in value. com
pared with $2,733.300 last week and
s2,5S7, 400 in 1915. Real estate sales
aggregate $2,121,sso. against s3,o4s,ooe
last week ard s1,sS1,026 last year
Gross earnings Of the Chicago steam
roads fully sustain the gains reported
a month ago. Freight offerings re-
main enormous and a notable increase
Is now appearing in passenger travel
Lake traffic exhibits striking expan-
sion over this time iast year. =:
creases being nnainlysin outputs Of the
mines, forests and factories.
Torirc If the Times