The Washington times., 1924-10-18
FARME rs ARE
BUYING MORE
FREELY
Dun-Bradstreet Trade Reviews
Report Continued Improve
ment in Business

NEW YORK, Oct. 18.-Son1e new
signs Of expansion, both in domestic
and overseas commerce, have
appeared, Dun's review Of trade
this week says. Despite the handi-
cap Of price unsettiement, Amer.
lean consumption Of cotton has
increased substantially, and ex.
ports Of that staple have attained
the largest volume in nine months.
Similarly the value OF general
merchandise shipments has reached
the highest point Of the present
year, while foreign trade prospects
have been further strengthened by
the successful placing Of the Ger
man loan. Although a full re.
Spouse to constructive forces IL
still lacking, the main trend IL to-
ward revival Of business, and all
ures show that the fall season
has brought definite improvement
in conditions.
Recent mild weather following
the low temperatures of SepteHn-
Der has temporarily checked retail
demand but has been favorable
to crop harvesting, and the larger
buying power in agricultural Sec
tons is reflected in the more op.
timistic reports from the West and
Northwest. Record Of production
in basic industries continue to
indicate varying results, yet gains
| in pig iron and steel output have
been held and the percentage Of
idle machinery in textile mills Is
gradually lessening.
There was a narrowing this
week of the excess Of advances in
Dun's list Of wholesale quotations.
Whereas fifty-onc of the seventy
six changes recorded last week
were in an upward direction, the
increases this week numbered forty
four and the declines twenty-oHe.
More irregularity developed in tex
tile markets, with higher prices for
some wooden and reductions in
some cottons, ana easing occurred
in certain steel products. Strength
in hide prices, however, continued
to be prominent feature, while
recent advances In leather have
been maintained. A. year ago, in
contrast to the present trend, price
declines predominated.
Distributive trade, while fully
fair, has quieted somewhat and
lacks the snap reported some weeks
ago. Manufacture seems to have
held recent gains, but building is
quieter at some Northern cities as
large construction draws to q
close. About the most commonly
assigned reason for the Quieting in
buying more particularly at retail,
| is the warmer weather. which Is
aiding the maturing Of corn and
the further growth in cotton, but
is, temporarily at least, retarding
purchases of fall and winter goods.
Second to the weather as q dull
ing influence is the nearer APP
preach Of election, but. except at
| a few Northwestern centers, which
still feel the seasonal urge more
directly, the completion of more
Immediate buying Is also assigned
as q cause. Fortifying this latter
influence, 1t is noted that demon
strated ability to get quick deliver
les is aiding in the rather deliber-
ate buying noted.
1 At quite a few southern points
lower prices for cotton-that staple
is two cents lower on the WEEKS
cited as an additional retarding
element. Complaint Of hand-to-
mouth purchasing is, however,
practically universal, and even in
the iron and steel trade, while the
railways continue to take freely or
cars, rails and track material, it is
noted that changes in basing
prices are not alone credited with
the slowness Of general steel buy
| ing. Steel prices are certainly re-
ported as softer, and QuieteE pig
iron buying is in several instances
charged to political uncertainty.