The sun., 1919-01-25
HIGH PRICES ARE
DAMPER TO TRADE
Buyers Evidently HesitatinV
in Anticipation of Large
Drop in Quotations.
SOME CONCESSIONS NOW
RecessiOns Have 0utnumbered
Advances, According to
Business Reviews.
SOME CONCESSIONS NOW

High prices are apparently the rriu.
c!pal dampening factor in the business
situation to-day. according 10 the t-ads
reviews Since the armlst!ce was signed
there has been an evident hesitation on
the part OF ali buyers who obviously
were awaiting a substantial reduction
in prices That the country is coming
tons is seen by Dun's ReT.tc a. n.
natural result OF slowly declining price,
Recessions have outnumbered advances
1t declares. and some offerings are being
made at material concessions That
journal discusses the price situation as
as follows:
THAT vigorous peace time business
expansion. delayed practically the coun.
try over. mainly waits on prices, Is u.
fact made clearer with each weeks
passing. Hesitation among buyers,
promptly appearing with tho signing Of
the armlstice early last November, Ia,
steadily become more distinct and se--
eral, as price yielding In some oommo..
tiles has encouraged expectations Of
further revisions from tho inflated ie.
els.
"For nine weeks recessions have out.
numbered advances in q Representative
list OF wholesale quotations. and IN re.
tail channels, where Accommodations q
merchandise have resulted partly from
unreasonable temperature over a wide
area, some offerings are being made a,
material concessions. But while certain
markets have been lately turning down.
ward, and though efforts TO stimulate
demand are increasing, the price reac.
! ton apparently has rot gone far enough
70 promote the anticipated business re.
vival. and the prevailing situation 10
tho broader sense. remains one Of O..
minishing consumption and production
This condition finds plain reflection
in the decided hating OF industrial &C.
tivitles especially in the leading East.
ern centres, and current reports o. ids
machinery and growing unemployment
contrast sharply with the recent grea;
manufacturing pressure and universal
complaint OF labor scarcity. The prob.
lens of labor readjustment. iney.abl.
! with the transition from war BASH.
loom larger as various mills and fac,o.
| ries reduce working schedules, and cor
| troversies between employers and wage
!
| renee
That trade and industry are Ell.
| trenely slow, slower than at any tine
| since the big tieup a year ago. Is III.
opinion OF Brddstreets. Trade ard
industries" that periodical says. meas
rred by standards OF recent months or
years are slow. and retail trade and
manufacturing industry are slower than
at any time since a year ago when tire
,.1 t,,.l tai
trated business east OF the Aleghanes
Nor Is wholesale and 3obbing trade a.
tive. nor, indeed. In so favorable pos.
| ton even in the West and South as 4
| was a year ago. Working down the l.0s
from manufacturers to consumers * {.
found that industrial output Is AZ a s.oG
pace. due to establishments which do nj
yet reveal their limits, wholesale ard
jobting trade reflects caution Of u.
tailers. who are afraid OF ordering any
thing but bare necessities, and WHO. ].
turn. say that tho m!ldest winter 70
years has caused consumers TO hold on
from buying even In the favored regor.
Of the Northwest
I'm tho South the sharp break D"
prices OF cotton. nearly cents IN thrs-
weeks, has slowed down buying and 20
lectlons. but II is worth noting tt'
taking the country as a whole. the late
, are SUI good failures are Few and
clear!ngs are only shade below 'as'
week at all cities actually larger tNa-
a week ago outside OF tho metropolis
and far In advance OF year ago .
nearly all centres.
The trade situation. however. thong
slack, Is not without redeenling features
and there Is enough sunlight 10 preyea'
An unrelleved,y gloomy picture benz
PARTED. Perhaps the most encourEs.rs
feature from tho standpoint OF the lons
suffering consumer IS tho continuance NJ
the declining tendency shown IN foot
prices noted in these columns last wee.
While this tendency is mos. manifest T.
butter. cheese and esgs-dairy prodrt
in short-and mild weather and canoe
iat.ons OF our own and allied GH"e-r'
nent orders may DC chief reasons there
for. there IS little disposition to GuNSca'
the cause IN view OF the agreeaa'
effect"