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Show DUN AND BRADSTRET ON TRADE CONDITIONS NEW YORK, Feb. 19. R. G. Dun & Co.'s weekly review of trado this week will say: Inclement weather alono prevents a defl nltc revival of business. Outsldo work Is retarded and traffic Impeded'-to an extent ex-tent that cannot be accurately measured, but Is obviously sufficient to neutralize the favorable effect of many encouraging factors, while winter wheat Is threatened although not yet definitely Injured, and early farm preparations must bo postponed. post-poned. Several leading branches of" manufacture manufac-ture are Increased in active capacity, and thousands of interior buyers arc placing liberal orders at tho principal cities. The temporary advantages of tho war aro felt in the market for staple commodities, notobly foodstuffs; but while thlo help9 tho domestic producer it harms a aiuch larger number by enhancing prices to home consumers. Thcro is little friction between employers and wage-earners, except ex-cept regarding the bituminous scale; but 'the cause of industrial peace has lost its foremost champion. Despite interruptions by storms, railway earnings thus far reported re-ported for February wero only -1 per cent smaller than a year ago, when there was so much severe weather. Foreign trado returns for tho last week at this port show an Increase of $1,152,012 In valuo of exports ex-ports as compared with last year, but imports were slightly smaller. Financial conditions are satisf.ic.tor'. money remnlnlug easy and foreign ex chungo undisturbed by the complications abroad. Two factorn contributed to swell the value of oxports, preparations for war In the Orient and high prices for farm staples. sta-ples. Exports were valued at 5lll.663.4SC, against Jl74.Sl9.5S0 in December and 3133,-K'2,2C9 3133,-K'2,2C9 in the corresponding months last year. Liabilities of commercial failures thus far reported for February aggrcgato $5,-341,692. $5,-341,692. of which $2,004,011 were In manufacturing, manu-facturing, $2,515,179 In trading and $424,602 in other commercial lines. For tho amo period last year liabilities were $6,301,2So. Failures this week number 237 In tho United States, against 247 last year, and 20 In Canada, compared with 2C a year ago. NEW YORK, Feb. 19.-Brndstrcofs weekly review of trade will say: Midwinter conditions arc a bar to growth in spring trade and Interfere greatly with transportation and outdoor activities generally. gen-erally. Still a fair lncrcaso of business Is noted in Jobbing circles nt leading Western West-ern and Southwestern centers, and the bc3t week's jobbing business so far this year la reported at leading Eastern markets. mar-kets. The feeling Is that, while spring trade will bo later than a year ago. this drawback draw-back can be lurgely offset If good weather wea-ther supervenes later. Doubt still exists as to the effect of tho most severe winter li; recent years upon tho wheat cron planted last fall, but definite information must await the appearance of wanner weather. While favorable to some lines, notablv coal and heavy winter wearing apparel, the general effect of the unbroken cold wcaUier upon industry Is not favorable. Railway gross earnings In January showed tho first decrcaso reported ainco February, 1SS9, and the first decreaso ro-ported ro-ported In January since 1S97. Bank clearings for the week, broken as it has been by holidays, mako a poor showlnc- Important failures aro more numerous this week, somo banks and Insurance companies, the latter at Baltimore, contributing con-tributing largely. Money has tended to harden slightly. War Influences cut a large figure In the course of prices, which, with few exceptions, ex-ceptions, has been upward. Flour, wheat, corn, oats and pork all mado now high records, rec-ords, those of wheat and flour being thr-highest thr-highest reached since 1S9S, and tea. butter, but-ter, tin and copper also advnnced, though not In all cases owing to present or threatened hostilities. Cotton nnd coffee were, conspicuous exceptions to tho general advance, but this was due to a continuance continu-ance of the liquidation under way for somo time past, and plg-lron wcakoncd as the result of backward demand, enlarging production und reported Increasing stocks. |