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The Wisconsin Lumberman.
PROSPECTS OF THE FALL TRADE.
Gentlemen, connected with mer-
cantile agencies and in other positions
favorable to an intelligent estimate of
the present financial condition and
the future business prospects of the
country, speak with equal confidence
as to the favorable aspect of affairs in
both these respects. It is stated, as a
fact both surprising and gratifying,
that, within the past six months, there
have absolutely been fewer failures in
number, and certainly fewer in pro-
minence, than for the same period in
the average of years. On the con-
trary they have observed a very re-
markable reduction of indebtedness
in all classes and in almost all sec-
tions of the country.
It is said also that the mercantile
indebtedness in the country is not
more than two-thirds what it was at
this time last year. The caution thus
evinced is one of the chief causes of a
restricted business and a hampered
trade. The fright that the debtor
class received in September has had
its effect, and the very prominence of
the failures that immediately followed
impressed deeply a lesson that has
been heeded.
The dullness of business has made
many traders poorer than they were
six months ago. In certain depart-
ments, such as railroad construction,
iron making, and building operations,
the demands of the time have been
anticipated, and business for the pres-
ent remains dull, but it is argued on
all hands, that all the indications,
which in former years would be taken
as a basis for the hope of a good fall
trade, are presented now. An un-
usually abundant crop of almost
every production is promised in al-
most all sections of the country. Pri-
ces for these products are maintained
at remunerative figures, and the
steady gain in the value of our ex-
ports which the past six months has
shown, is almost certain of repetition
in the next half year.
It is true that similar predictions,
made last winter in reference to the
trade of this spring, and summer, have
not been verified. Much of this un-
totisfactory result is unquestionably
due to the fact that during the most
of the time, congress has been at work
in reference to the financial interests
of the country, and, with the uncer-
tainty as to what policy would be
adopted and as to the result of any
proposed policy on the business of the
country, business men have hesitated
to engage in any new enterprises. In
the absence of this paralyzing influ-
ence of congressional discussion and
action or inaction, and with the fav-
orable circumstances, to which we
have adverted, we may certainly hope
for a prosperous fall trade in nearly
all departments of business.-Boston
Lumber Trade.
INSPECTION.
The work entrusted to the two
committees, appointed at the Wil-
liamsport Convention, to recommend
rules for the uniform inspection,
measurement and classification of
lumber, one for white pine and one
for yellow, will be one of great labor,
and not of immediate accomplish-
ment. We have several times during
the past year adverted to the fact,
that while the importance of uniform
terms,rules,and practice of inspection
is acknowledged and perhaps fully
appreciated, there is, at the different
points of manufacture and distribu-
tion a very great discrepancy both of
usage and of terms. It is sufficient-
ly easy to account for this in the cir-
cumstances under which the trade
has grown up at its different centres.
These have been brought together
by the greatly increased facilities of
transportation, but for many years
they were comparatively isolated;
terms and rules in the different lum-
ber regions were in some degree pecu-
liar to each of them. A glance only
over our reports of the markets, em-
bracing as they do, every important
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