EXHIBIT 99

                     NEWELL SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT
                     ----------------------------


     Information provided by the Company, including certain of the
matters contained in this  the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K
(the "1997 Report") and the documents incorporated by reference
therein, may constitute forward-looking statements, as defined by the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "Reform Act"). 
Such forward-looking statements may relate to, but are not limited to,
such matters as sales, income, earnings per share, return on equity,
capital expenditures, dividends, capital structure, free cash flow,
debt to capitalization ratios, internal growth rates, future economic
performance, management's plans, goals and objectives for future
operations and growth or the assumptions relating to any of the
forward-looking information.  Such statements generally are
accompanied by words such as "intend," "anticipate," "believe,"
"estimate," "project," "expect," "should" or similar statements.  The
Company cautions that forward-looking statements are not guarantees
since there are inherent difficulties in predicting future results,
and that actual results could differ materially from those expressed
or implied in the forward-looking statements.  Factors that could
cause actual results to differ include, but are not necessary limited
to, those discussed below and the matters set forth generally in the
1997 Report and the documents incorporated by reference therein.  This
Exhibit is included pursuant to the Reform Act and with the intention
of obtaining the benefits of the so called "safe harbor" provisions of
the Reform Act.

Retail Economy
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     The Company's business depends on the strength of the retail
economies in various parts of the world, primarily in the U.S. and to
a lesser extent in Asia (including Australia and New Zealand), Canada,
Europe (including the Middle East and Africa) and Latin America
(including Mexico and Central America), which are affected by such
factors as consumer demand, the condition of the consumer products
retail industry and weather conditions.  In recent years, the consumer
products retail industry has been characterized by intense competition
and consolidation among both product suppliers and retailers.

Nature of the Marketplace
- -------------------------

     The Company competes with numerous other manufacturers and
distributors of consumer products, many of which are large and
well-established.  In addition, the Company's principal customers are
volume purchasers, many of which are much larger than the Company and
have strong bargaining power with suppliers.  The rapid growth of
large mass merchandisers, such as discount stores, warehouse clubs,
home centers and office superstores, together with changes in consumer


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shopping patterns, have contributed to a significant consolidation of
the consumer products retail industry and the formulation of dominant
multi-category retailers.  Other trends among retailers are to require
manufacturers to maintain or reduce product prices or deliver products
with shorter lead times, or for the retailer to import generic
products directly from foreign sources.  The combination of these
market influences has created an intensely competitive environment in
which the Company's principal customers continuously evaluate which
product suppliers to use, resulting in pricing pressures and the need
for ongoing improvements in customer service.

Growth by Acquisition
- ---------------------

     The acquisition of companies that sell branded, staple consumer
product lines to volume purchasers is one of the foundations of the
Company's growth strategy.  The Company's ability to continue to make
sufficient strategic acquisitions at reasonable prices and to
integrate the acquired businesses within a reasonable period of time
are important factors in the Company's future earnings growth.

Foreign Operations
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     Foreign operations, which include manufacturing in Canada,
Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela and many countries in Europe, and
importing products from the Far East, increasingly are becoming
important to the Company's business.  Foreign operations can be
affected by factors such as currency devaluation and other currency
fluctuations, tariffs, nationalization, exchange controls, limitations
on foreign investment in local businesses and other political,
economic and regulatory risks.