Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 281, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 November 1920 — LOWER PRICES AID BUSINESS [ARTICLE]

LOWER PRICES AID BUSINESS

Demand for Merchandise Shows Moderate Increase—Cotton Mills Curtail Production. New York, Nov. 22.— Dun’s Review of November 19, says: Certain changes for the better have appeared in business. ' The improvement is slight, and none at all Is visible in various quarters, but some of the ink dications are more favorable than in recent weeks. While immediate commercial revival Is not expected, sounder condition In the future are foreshadowed. Demand for seasonable goods has moderately Increased, and offerings of merchandise at lower prices seems to be meeting with a somewhat broader response. A decline in October building permits does not marie a new development but the decrease —<0.9 per cent Is larger than has been witnessed in recent months. Narrowing of the disproportion between the prices of Independent steel companies and those of the leading producer has continued. The demand nearly everywhere has receded. Signs of improvement in the leather trade have not been wholly lacking, and a better feeling has developed in the Rast from the fact that some large buyers have made inquiries. A little more activity has also appeared in the Wept. Development of a somewhat broader inquiry and demand for dry goods appeared this week, though price concessions are still necessary to stimulate buying. With curtailment of cotton production at mill centers Increasing steadily, less than 400.000 bales of raw cotton were consumed in this country last month. For the sixth consecutive week bank clearings disdose reductions from last year figures. this week’s total of $7,976,830,086 as reported to Dun Review being 12 per cent less than the corresponding period of 1919. The exhibit is again decidedly against this year, showing a loss of 17.0 per cent.