New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-10-28
COMMERCE OF THE UNITED STATES.


/ COMMERCE OF THE UNITED STATES.
We have been favored by the bureau O
statistics Of the Treasury Department with
| an advanced proof Of the statement Of i'm
port and export Of the principal articles
during the fiscal year ending June 80
1873. It will be seen from the footing o;
this statment. which We give in another
column, tina: there has been an increase
in the imports Of free articles. that is
merchandise not liable to duty. of about
s97, O0O.0 600. and q decrease Of dutiable
articles of $2,250,G00. OF to be exact.
s456, 20S. 1913 in 1878. against $45s, 436. 1896
in 1872. During the same period we have
exported domestic produce TO the value Of
s6O5.179 O9. against s5o4. 1868. $50 the
year before. being an increase Of oves
S100,O00.00O. The exports Of foreign
arti cles comprise mostly gold and silver,
and show an increase of about Sc. 500, 600.
The total exports show an increase over
the imports Of s26,O21.3 21 tor 1878,
against an increase on the same side in
1872 Of Sl2, $40, 535. Tobacco is the only
article Of domestic expos: tina: shows a
decrease. and that Of less that 81, 600. 600.
Corn and its products. agricultural imple-
nents, coal, drugs and chemicals, pork.
tallow. snuff and few other articles show
little or no change. The increase has,
therefore. come from whea. and -four, cot
ton and its manufactures, iron. oils, bacon
and hams, and cheese. There is de-.
crease of about $40, 900, 600 in goods se.
naming in warehouses.
These footings. it will be seen, are for
principal articles only. The aggregate
business will show larger figures. but the
balances and comparisons vii! no: be ma
terially changed.
It will be seen that gold and silver is
used to settle the balance Of trade, which,
in other products, is against US. Before
the discovery Of gold in California such
showing would be cited, enormously. Of
course, 20 prove that the country was
growing poorer by its foreign commerce:
that is, We were buying from abroad more
than we were producing at home to pay
for. But latterly we have placed gold
among our products. and is' is used both
as currency and a commodity in our III
tercourse with foreign nations. With
yearly production Of from s8venty-fye 20
eighty millions OF dollars of the precious
metals, We are fortunate in finding good
demand in the outside world, for as great
as this country is, and constantly on the
we could no: absorb SO much
specie without mourning the inconveni-
ences Of "infation' which some OF our po-
itical economists live in constant dread
If. Al the same time. we confess 20 a
ceiling Of satisfaction that the more sub
'tantial increase in the list Of our exports |
1as come from cotton, grain. oils. coal,
ron and hog products. For the returns
or these articles bring benefit and advan-
age 70 a very wide extent 0: country, CO.
almost with the continent. The !
,rowth in these leading commodities is |
believed to be permanent, and therefore !
orms basis upon which 70 predicate es-
ima.es fey the future.
4: presen: the manufactures OF the
United States are nc: equal TO the con.
Of manufactured goods. I'm
'oytations are, therefore, necessary.
Doubtless this will be the case for many
ears 20 come. especially in the articles Of
he higher class. requiring great skill and
ostly machinery to produce. We ere
ot prepared at this time 20 say that
iferent condition is altogether desirable.
70 long as our citizens find il more profit.
Bile TO produce the raw material they can
ford 70 pay for the handiwork Of nations
o. so highly favored with the advantages
( soil and climate: neither is il abso.
ltely necessary for our national greatness
: even individual happiness .ha: the ;ri-
ute we exact from our aeighbors Of the
I'D World should be in cash and no. in
1orks OF art or manufactures which add
!, the conreniences Of every day life.
or money IS neither wealth nor hapri-
ess no. raiment. but may and does COM
land :hem all whenever and wherever
hey are offered for sale.
IN this connection we may say tina. well
rounded hopes are entertained tina: the
me is not far dis:an: when Louisiana
ill be able to approach very nearly .
oins OF supplying the domestic demand
}. sugar and molassss. We are very far
ON this row. but increase IS possible. It
more. it is actual. and the realization Of
le idea is by no means impossible. BY
lis means we shall save perhaps. $780,.
10000 OF 500. 000.000 year in imports.
Tough the government viii be deprived