The Washington times., 1924-11-08
WARM Weather.
HURTsRETAIL
TRADE
But Business Generally Is
Greatly Stimulated by EIec-
ticn, Trade Reviews Say

NEW YORK, Nov. 3.-An out
pouring Of optimistic expression has
followed swiftly upon the election,
but partly because a good deal Of
the short time elapsing since then
has been devoted to considering its
various results, and partly because
the weather has been too warm for
much buying Of seasonable goods;
the trade done has been mainly Of
the broken-week variety, according
to Bradstreet's. OF definite effects.
the most notable have been the
active dealings at advancing prices
in the stock and bond markets and
the reported becoming certainties Of
many hitherto contingent orders Tor
steel. Other developments have
been the cutting Of prices Of several
lines Of cotton goods, particularly
ginghams, by New England mills,
which are said to have been Inn
PEELED thereto by competition OF
Southern mills, and rallies in prices
Of grain from the recent low point.
In distributive trade, buying has
been conservative, although cooler
weather in parts Of the Northwest
have led to a fair distribution st
retail.
The warm, generally dry, weather
hitherto noted in the Ngreater part
Of the country has continued, and
in the Middle Atlantic States, the
middle Gulf region, the Southwest
and parts of the central West, the
need of rain has become pressing.
Forest fires have damaged wood
lands and killed game in wide areas
of New York, Pennsylvania, New
Jersey and Massachusetts. It is
too dry for the best interests or
winter wheat and other grains from
Iowa south to Texas. Early esti-
mates Of the increase in winter
wheat planting over a year ago are
10 to 10 per cent. The corn crop
has dried well, and there may be
less soft corn, but more light and
chaffy grain than earlier expected,
with big percentage Of the crop
Eunmerchantable. Cotton picking has
progressed toward its close with
minimum of interruption from the
weather. and the trend Of estimates
still seems upward, whereas corn
estimates tend to lessen.
The result Of the national cleo.
ton has had q stimulating effect
on financial and commercial mar
kets, according to Dun's review Of
trade. There was a quick and
emphatic response on the Stock
Exchange, where prices advanced
sharply on the broadcast dealings in
many months, and new signs Of
trade revival have already APP
peared. With the removal Of po-
litical uncertainties, some commit.
ments which had been held in
allegiance have been released, and
increasing inquiries in different
lines indicate that preparations for
further expansion are being made.
The stronger basic conditions
which now prevail. with decided
Improvement in the agricultural
situation and a better foreign out.
look, give rise to confident ex-
pectations, and various statistical
measures show clearly that eco
nomic recovery is under way.
prominent among these baron.
eters is the report OF October
pig iron production, disclosing q IL
per cent gain In the daily average,
and the largest total output since
last May, and new high records in
freight traffic have become Of al.
most weekly occurrence.
Although there continues TO be
considerable irregularity In com.
modify prices, the main trend In
recent months has been In an up
ward direction, with Dun's index
| number for November ! at the
highest level touched in nearly four
years. Instances are still noted, as
in certain divisions Of the textile
industry, where competition for
orders causes price concessions, yet
pressure to sell is not now a phase
| common to all market, the initiative
| in numerous transactions being
with the buyer. The point has not
been reached where demand runs
very far into the future, but more
disposition is being shown in some
quarters to anticipate forward needs
| and some manufacturers are en-