The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-06-03

OF THIS proposed SuDStitutiOu OI tHS
trade acceptance for the book ac-
count in the interests OF the country
at large.
This Is undoubtedly a reasonable
statement, but what will 1t avail II the
retailers do not agree to give ac-
ceptances in cases where they do NOS
pay cash? They seem to have an ad-
vantage. on the surface, In the present
condition or method. To bring about
the general use OF acceptances these
retailers must be convinced 1t IL 10
their especial advantage. or they m,'st
| be ceereed into giving them.-lt hegias
to look as though II may yet be neces-
sary TO employ some form of compul-
sion.
Consolation For MIR. Holmes.
A week ago some amiable, but i'm
personal, remarks were made In this
column showing over again the alb
surdity OF the statements circulated
by high tariff advocates about
vast stocks Of goods being held in Ger
many to be dumped here when
peace is declared. The matter Is, OF
course, academic at present since such
goods. IL they existed, could hardly
reach these shores for a couple OF
years or so. and the quantity wol;d
then depend on how much could be
absorbed in these markets within
reasonab BILE period, as otherwise they
could not be financed. Joseph ID.
Holmes. a dealer in woolens. who be-
| lieves anything except a prohihitiye
tariff TO be free trade. has taken pains
! to identify himself. in letter else
where printed. as the person who has
| been Fostering government depart
| ments about the German stocks. IL
| was on the strength OF an article writ
! ten by an employee of the Protective
Tariff ieague and purporting to quote
unnamed persons that Mr.. Holmes
| made certain statements TO the state
and commerce departments. Cot
| ton hosiery, dyestuff. glassware. etc"
| az he put IT. were being manufactured
/ in Germany for dumping. and he
| wanted TO know all about IL. although
/ he does not deal In these articles un-
| less they are included I'm the etc"
Now, the consular reports show that
Germany has had no cotton to spare
| for its own people, let alone outsiders.
! and has had to resort TO paper yarns
aud nettie fhres. But all the cotton
| hosiery and glassware that Germany
was ever able to sell here under tho
/ best of conditions was negligible in
quantity per cent OF the
domestic production--and those OF
kinds not then made here. but which
! now are As to the cargoes OF the
/ Deutschland, to which Mr. Holmes
refers, they consisted merely Of few
hundred tons OF concentrated dyes and
! medical specifics which people here
were glad to get. These facts were
known 10 everybody except. perhaps
! Mr. Holmes Now that he is told of
| them. he will probably sleep easier of
| nights
Cotton and It's Fabrics.
! There is a certain monotony IN all
.tFsa saSseassfesls sagSsha seefton sit IA tom
| spot cotton remains very high and the
! future supply Is q matter OF pure
| speculation There is still some re-
planting going on In certain places as
a result OF Indictment weather condt-
lions This has given the bull element
talking point. since 1t Is argued chat
/ the late planting means that the uhi-
auitous bell weevil will be enabled
| thereby TO de its fell work There are
+, also other arguments in the same d!
| rection. One OF them is that more
/ land will he, or has been, planted in
corn. and another Is that the hack Of
fertilizers will resul. in smaller
crop. Meanwhile, down South there
has been recently more buying OF the
present crop by British, Japanese and
other foreign interests as well as by
domestic mills. and this has helped
10 eLiKGn PRICES all afohE TIC tltc
The market for cotton goods has been
dominated In great measure by the
orders from the government which
cell for all manner OF fabrics and OF
garments made from them and from
Gotten yarns. Printcioth prices have
ruled exceedingly high with a dis
inclination on the part of mills to
commit themselves any further than
Is necessary, Bleached and printed
~
great demand, Export orders are still
a potent factor. and this Is especially
the case regarding knit goods. There
is reason to believe that, as to the lat
ter there will be lifting of the en-
barge placed on such shipments to
the United Kingdom. An improve
ment In shipping conditions. soon
| looked for. will aid also materially in
the foreign trade in cottons.
Wool and Wooden Goods.
Sales of wool during the last week
were of South American varieties.
mainly of the medium and coarser
! grades, for use In meeting the needs
OF the government The backward
ness OF the season has delayed some
what the receipt of domestic wools
Nothing further has been made pub
lie regarding the proposed release 1T a
/ lot OF Australian wool Tor this market.
and nothing Ia known as to the terms
and conditions under which the release
! is to. be made. That a great quantity
II 90. 100000 pounds is placed AZ a
minimum--will come IL regarded a.
| fairly certain. In connection with
this the interesting announcement has
been made by the British central wool
advisory committee that the stocks Of
wool and clothing In the hands Of
merchants and retailers In the United
Kingdom ore suficiently large. with
| reasonable economy. to clothe the
population for At least a year. This
should dispose Of the fears Of thpee
! who thought the British wou.d not
he able to spare wool inst now. The
FOODS market. like that OF cotton
fabrics, is somewhat demorallzed At
! present by the government orders
which have precedence In the mills
One result will be that there will be-
fewer styles for the civilian trade.
which 10 rot an unmixed evil. Aside
from the scaling down Of orders
from clothiers by the mills there have
teen some cancellations resulting from
the timidity Of garment makers. In
/ n 70 onr4da tharo ~ mora ~ A.