Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-03-17
NEITHER STRIKE NOR WAR
RETARDs TRADE CURRENTS
Volume OF Industry Larger Now
Than IL Was This Time
Last Year.
ULTIMATE CONSUMERS GREEDY
Inclcmcnt Weather and Poor Roads
Deter Retail Trade-Mannfuctu
crS' Stocks Arc Light-Conserva
tism Still Prevails in Business.

NEW YORK. March 16.-Bradstrcct's
tomorrow will say:
Though confronted by unsettled Gle
mcnts BORN of tho threatened strike of
railway hands. the more acute si,ua-
ton in our foreign relations. railway
cmbargocs and high prices of all COM
modities, current trade as we'll as in
dustry continues of large volume, buy
Ing being larger. i'm fact than at this
time last year. Yet n sitting OF the
reports clearly discloscs tendency to-
ward conservatism in lines other than
iron and steel. this development being
particularly noticeable in connection
with distant buying. and merchants in
general evidently aim to guard against
stocking up with high priced mcrchan-
disc. Al 'the same time. Indictment
weather in the larger cities and poor
roads in the country districts have de-
TERED retail trade. But. so far "a cur
rent distribution in the larger lines is
concerned. there is little basis for COM
plant. except on the score of car short
ages. which situation results in poor
deliveries of urgently needed food,
fuel. lumber and spring wearing APP
parcl. Indeed. potential demand for
staples is so heavy that large turn
overs must cnsuc. even though many
purveyors intend to purchase on a
hand to-mouth basis. Manufacturers
stocks are light. and even though lum-
Der shipments are held up at producing
centcrs by traffic congestion, that prod
uct is In heavy demand
The West. South and Southwest arc
taking large quantities OF staple goods
that were ordered some time ago and
IT Is evident that the wants OF ulti
mate consumers for dry goods. cloth
ing and shoes Will result IN n LARGE
business, once settled weather arrives
NO DEPARTURE FROM
GENERAL CONSERVATIVES
NEW YORK, March ls.-Dun.s
weekly Review of Trade Tomorrow
will say:
No departure from conservatism is
witnessed. but in some quarters there
Is less hcsitancy, and general business
holds up remarkably well considering
inc many hindrances Traffic draw
oacks have been aggravated by rail
way labor conditions and impede prog
reSS In many directions Will, the for
eign situation still exerts a restrain
ing influence and induces continued
caution IN finance. trade and industry
Yet among interests whose. forward
needs arc not adequately covered un-
certainty regarding futur" supplies
prompts renewed purchasing and pres
sure upon leading producing forces
does not appreciably diminish. The re-
strictinG effect of the extreme costs of
necessities IL more evident in dimin-
iShed buying by consumers, hut in GER
tain raw materials and in finished
products. such as iron and steel re-
quiremcnis are so imperative that de-
mands arc unchecked by steadily and
rapidly rising prices. Government
wants arc becoming factor of inn
portancc in this department az in some
other branches. and even where quo
tations have strcnS thcned greatly fur
Their advances are not unlikely. 1t is
between seasons in some mercantile
lines and abatement Of activity Is
natural while development of spring
trade in sections OF the West and south
as in the East, Is retarded by unfnv-
orablc weather. Yet Easter distribi-
ton is expected to reach larg. dimcn-
sions. and bank cicarinEs 80 per cent
larger this week than last year at the
principal outside ccntcrs. give little in
dicatton of "a recession in current bust
ness. though the higher prices must
obviously be considered in reading the
record.