Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-08-07
TRE CENTRAL suslnrs, F,Elp.


turing activity than - usually wit
messed at the midsummer season IL
made clear by advices from every CEN
ter OF Importance. and tae remarkably
strong position oe the leading iron and
steel interest - demonstrated alike by
Its statement Of phenomenal earnings
and BY further wase advance bone
fiting many Thousands OF employees.
While this u q particularly striking
instance OF the prevailing prosperity. It
reflects condition that . practically
widespread in The indusrsal ne,d and
many producers arc 70 rushed with
work THAT the CHIEF problem = ono q
maintaining outputs 1t the high rate
necessitated by the psesstng require
ments. Yet the distinction between
war orders and dcmands from regular
channels has become more sharply de-
fined. and not only b civilian business
beet with many Aniculties and UNI
certairttes. but III volume steadily
dimintsnes - the constantly expand
Ing needs Of the government reduce the
supplies avsilaA,1 Tor commercial uses.
with all energies converging in the
successful prosecution a the war.
ordinary operations naturally can not
Do conducted along tho usual Hines, and
that the RESTRICTIONS wsn tend to
tighten. rather than lessen. there =
every indication. Bpt that tbs radical
wartime seadiutncrts arc being. 10
oompaished with minimum Of UNI
settlement. the failure statistics afford
convincing evidence.
Bettertng tho remarkably good ex-
htbit Of June. the July insolvency
statement discloses only 7ss CONNER
cia reverses. involving an indebtedness
Of less than $4,000, 900. Not only is
this the most favorable showing Of the
present year. but the number Of fall
ures Is snailer than in all months back
to July. 1907. ana the liabilities are
the highest since May. 1910. compar-
ing with the 1879 defaults Of July.
le1s--the high point for the month
the numerical reduction Is s5s. or
about IS per cent, and during the seven
elapsed months Of 1913 the insolvencies
have ben 32.S per cent fewer in number
than in the corresponding period Of
1917. when the mortality was com
parattvely moderate. Excepting March
the business reverses haves declined
steadily since last January and it Is
not clear even now that the 7s6 fail
ures Of July mark the years absolute
minimum. altho some increase is in.
variably Witnessed in the fall ana
winter.
Chfcago.-Business for July ran con-
siderahly ahead Of the corresponding
month last year and August bids fail
to continue the making ,of midsummer
records. Arrival Of buyers show a
steady increase over this season II
1917 and this gain is reasonably GER
tain to be swelled by important dis.
plays and conventions scheduled FOL
the coming fortnight.
Minneapolis. Wholesale distribution
Is considerably ahead Of that Of thi!
period last year but difficulty is ex.
perienced by some houses in securing
merchandise in sufficient quantities
and there is shortage in many staple
lines. Retail sales are holding UP
well, and prospects are favorable fol
fall and winter trade. Collections are
satisfactory.
Omaha.-Genera trade is quieter, a:
usual at midsummer. but on the whole
transactions exceed these Of last year
Demand is good for the season, and
conditions are promising.