New-York tribune., 1922-08-28

Keen competition for business pre-
walls in practically all lines, and this
has a tendency to hold down the prices
of finished goods despite the advances
that have been made in raw materials
in recent months 1t is becoming more
evident, though, that prices of finished
goods are more likely to advance than
to decline. Manufacturers are COM
planning of a lack of adequate profits.
Large concerns in various lines, be-
cause of their proportionately low
overhead, have set a pace on prices
that their smaller competitors find it
hard to follow Merchants have real
lied this and are placing more of their
business with the big producers, which
makes it, hard for the smaller manu-
facturers and operators to maintain q
steady volume of business.
The First National Merchandise Fair
closed last week and passed into his
tory. Results are being tabulated and
will be more definitely known within a
few weeks. While comment on the sue
cess Of the fair varies to some extent,
most of the exhibitors appear to have
been satisfied with the business booked
at the fair and with the new con-
tracts with retailers established there.
There is no doubling the fact that the
fair was directly responsible for the
bringing of thousands of the smaller
retailers throughout the country to
this market at this time and that local
wholesale trade, as whole, benefited
from this development.
Prices in general showed little
change during the week. There was
some stiffening in cotton goods and
Wooden goods were unchanged. The
metal markets were hampered by
strikes, but steel and iron quotations
were advanced.
COftOns
In sympathy with slightly firmer
tone in raw cotton, primary cotton
goods were advanced last week. Buy
ing was light for most of the week, al
though one or two good days We're re-
ported by the cloth brokers.
Business in finished goods remained
about on the level established earlier
in the month. Sellers feel that more
goods are needed in distributive chan
nels, and sentiment is favoring advane,
ing prices Jobbers and retailers still
adhere to the hand to mouth policy. of
buying goods and are not covering
themselves far in the future even with
the market displaying rising ten
dency.
Silks
Fairly good orders from retailers
were reported in the silk goods mar
ket last week. Garment manufac-
turers have purchased sample pieces,
and the reports emanating from that
quarter regarding good business have
given the silk people encouragement
for the future. Wholesale distributors
are still buying lightly.
Raw silk fluctuated within narrow
limits last week, and on the whole,
closed with firmer tone than at the
previous weekend. Local manufac-
turers are buying raw silk sparingly,
both because of the continuation of
caution in their operations and be-
cause of the. threatening labor
troubles in their mills, together with
the possibility of coal shortage that
may force mill curtailment later on.
Woolens
The first rush of buying Nof woolens
and worsted for spring, 1928, has sub
sided somewhat and sellers are now
awaiting recorders. A slight lull in
mems clothing manufacturing opera
tions at present has reacted to some
extent upon the cloth trade. Raw wool,
however, remains firm, and there are
no Indications of softening goods
prices.
In the fall goods the narrow dress
materials, which are in short supply