Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-07-13
OUTLOOK FOR BUSINESS
GOOD THROUGHOUT LAND
Commercial Survey Holds Bright
Prospects for Summer and Fall
Trade.
REPORTS FROM MANY SOURCES
Examination OF Merchandising
Records Should Increase the
o. tmism OF Every Manufacturer
and Merchant.

NEW YORK. July 12.-There is every
indication OF most prosperous sum-
and an examination OF the merchan-
disins records should increase the
optimism OF every manufactures and
comparison Of merchandising activities
compiled by the research department
OF the Credit clearinghouse This
comparison Is based upon more than
100000 actual transactions. aggregat
ing more than sao.ooO.ooo in value.
survey of the various sections of
debtedness In the mountain section;
high record Of payments in the
north agricultural section; a low rec
ord OF indebtedness and n high record
OF payments in the middle agr!cul-
tural section; a high record OF pay
IIncnts II the south agricultural sec
and hign record OF payments in the
east section.
The comparative figures for the
creased 1 per cent over last month. de-
creased 2 per cent from June. 1915.
but are stationary. with both June,
cent higher than last month, but .
per cent less than June. 1918 ; per
cent less than June. 1916.
Payments are cited as ! per cent
better than last month. per cent
ter than June. 1917. and s per cent
better than June 1915.
RecapituIation.
Recapitulating the merchandising
activities OF the country by States we
ind thirty-four States show an in
crease In purchases over May OF this
year thirteen a decrease, and one is
stationary. Compared with June. 1918,
thirty-two decrease and two remain
stationary Compared with June. 1917,
twenty States show an increase and
with June, 1915. twenty-one States
Eaow an increase and twenty Il
decrease.
The Indebtedness shows thirty
States increased over May Of this year.
seventeen decreased. and one Is sta
tionary. Compared with June. 1918.
twelve States show an increase. thirty
four decrease, and two are sta.
ticnary.
Compared with June. 1917. Az.
s5ss show Ds an
Compared with June. 1916. four States
show an increase. and forty-four
Payments show better in th!rty-two
states. compared with last month.
thirteen show a decline and three are
Compact S,h 'uns is
show a decline. and one is stationary.
Compared with June. 1917, thirty; hye
states show better and thirteen show
forty States show better. seven show
a decline. and one Is stationary.
Pacific Const Section.
Early fall buying. is shown 70
marked sngTes the ssh for cGns
mediate shipment are not UP to the
average of the corresponding period
duras the past three ysa .;rbv over
last month. but is much less than June
of the past three years.
during the past month. but still re.
main higher than June OF 1916 and
The hsures OF this month suggest
that the Coast States have bean back
ward in readjusting their operations
90 peacetime basis. but the early
ity to do go, and that fall business will
at least be equal to that OF 1918.
Comparative ngures show that pur-
OF this year. but are 3 per cent lower
than June. 1918, l per cent lower than
June. 1917. and per cent lower han
indebtedness is per cent higher
than last month. but per cent less
than June. 1918: per cent less than
June. Ioi5, and per cent lower than
payments fen of = per cent from
last month. per cent from June. 1915,
1916. A"' 80 1'
Mountain Section.
The mountain section also shows
advance purchases being made freely.
the activity of this phase OF merchan-
dsing being higher than any month
since June. 1917.
Indebtedness is less than any COM
paratire period and shows low rec
ord during the past month.
Payments are somewhat better, al
though they are not up to the high
plane shown In 1917.
This section seems to have Erasped
the REIMBURSEMENT situation better than
was anticipated. and the low indebted
confidence shown by the advance fall
purchases. makes the outlook this fall
purchases. makes the outlook in this
section most bright.
Figures of the month show that
May Of this year. per cent over June,
June. 1917. and per cent lower than
Indebtedness is 2 per cent less than
per cent less than June. 1917, and
per cent less than June. 1916
Payments show an increase of per
over June. 1918, Q per cent over June,
1917. and per cent over June, 1916.
North Agricultural Section.
The North agricultural section shows
slight increase over last month in
the Pacific Coast and mountain sec.
tions.
Indebtedness. while low, is not any
less than last month and only slightly
oe pavn, June OF the past three years.
of activity. which indicates consist emit
cash buying by the consumer. which
will no doubt decrease stocks and forco
early buying.
This. section is usually the most con-
sentative. being almost entirely de-
pendent upon agriculture, but the re-
ports OF crop conditions and the ac-
tivity OF the consumers purchases
should bring confidence in fall mer-
chandising at an earlier date than
other years have shown.
The activities show as follows:
Purchases increased per cent over
May of this year, remain equal to
June, 1918, and show an increase OF
per cent over both June, 1917, and
June. 1915.
Indebtedness remains stationary
with May, shows decrease OF 1 per
cent from both June. 1913. and June,
1917, and per cent from June, 1916
Payments show a new high record