Show ALANCE MINTEO General Trade and Prices are Still Firm DEMAND IS VERY LARGE I Speculation However is Quiet to the Extreme of Dullness in Some Branches of Trade Especially in Those Branches which Radically iAfTect Financial Affairs Iron and Steel Industry is Very Active Copper and Tin are Weak Cereals are Dull in Nearly all Directions New York Jan Brndstrcefs tomorrow to-morrow will sny General trade and prices as a whole maintain the even balance bal-ance which has been the lending feature for pome time ptst and H will rcijulro the advent of distinctly new features to affect any basic changes General demand de-mand Is huge for this season of the year but speculation Is quiet to the extnme of dullness In some lines and especially In those branches of speculation which got go-t radically affect llnanclal affair and therefore the volume of bank ckarings Clone examination of leading linos of industry falls to show marked unfavorable unfavor-able features It I Is true that retail trado t In seasonable goods has been and Is I being be-ing affected by phenomenally mild winter win-ter weather but wherever spring trade particularly In dry goods has been developed de-veloped Ithus I been In such volume and accompanied vi tIm such readiness of acceptance ac-ceptance of adanced prices as to point to u 1111 mum iiml4imei conlldencc on the part of tim trado I world tis to the outlook for apnng bust ii iss The Iron and steel Industry justly regarded re-garded as a trustworthy Index of general trade Is still artlvely employed on old orders and new business Is limited for reasons unnecessary to recapitulate It I Is evident the few reactions In prices shown In I siirh an ordinarily dull period as this havo strengthened rather than lessened cunliilenco In the future Signs < lf preparation for the coming seasons needs are shown In the reported active Inquiry for steel rails at the Vest The other metals Lure rather stronger copper and tin beIng r higher on Jhe week the latter In I sympathy with udanccs abroad Spring trade I In hardware Is openIng open-Ing well mid advances In prices arc generally gen-erally reported Rather more Inquiry Is noted for wool particularly at Boston and mens wear sales for next fall meet pood patronage notwithstanding the adanccs demanded Fine wools are at about the highest point reached In twenty years Business failures In the 1nlled States are fewer In number the being 255 for the week as compared wIth ITX5 last week 2W In this week a year ago 200 In IbDS 131 In LW and 241 in lSi l > G Business failures in the Dominion Canada for the week number 25 ms corn pared with 2s last week LX > IP this week ayear ago IG In ISCS 57 in 1S37 anti 52 In ISM |