National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-08-25
DIR FOREIGN TRADE,

The Importance Of rigid scrutiny over the
imports and exports Of nation which Is largely
engaged in commerce can scarcely be over.
estimated. It is akin to the necessity Of cor.
rect bookkeeping in banking or commercial
house. Statesmen and msrSbspts cannot make
inteIHSea! calculations Of the necessities Of
the country In 6 legislative and commercial
point Of view unless they have correct &C.
counts of the past to consult, and these they
cannot have without Q vigilsut watch and
record is made Of the outgoings Of our pro-
ducts and Of the incomings Of those Of foreign
countries for our consumption. Next In i'm
portsnee to knowing the money value Of these
commodities is the knowledge of tbs quantities
required to make up those values each year.
1t Is only from this latter information that we
are enabled to estimate the approximate
profits derived from our shipments abroad
or 10 calculate those Of our foreign correspond
euts upon the importGtions we consume. It is
also upon information Of this character that
operators and merchants predicate their trans
actions for the future. The incslculabls value
Of correct statistics Of this character would be
greatly enhanced if they could be aggregated
and published daily.
The Bureaus of Statistics and Of Agriculture
could be made Of much greater practical utility
than they DOW are II their labors could be con-
solIdated and the information obtained daily
by telegraph. The results might then be sg-
gregnted and promulgated 70 the world. by
telegraph through the medium Of the press.
But in order to accomplish this Government
should have control Of q line Of telegraph Of
its own. The expense of the Transmission Of
such returns by the Western Union lines would
be greater than Congress would feel justified
IN sanctionIng.
We have received from the chief Of the Bu-
resu Of Statistics statement contrasting some
Of the leading articles Of export from Great
Britain 10 the United States for the seven
months ending July 81 Of the years 1873 and
1874: AIkalI, ESQ, 1871 in 1878, against $685.
800 in 1874; copper, cwt., In 1873, 1884, in
1874, TIA; cotton goods in 1878, IS, 667, &S5
yards, against Il, $50, $50 In 1874; earthern and
china ware in 1878, e4Ss, Ts1, and in 1874,
eS25, 654; haberdashery, millinery and en-
broidery, s94o, O74 in 1873, against e7e5, 169 in
1874; hardware and cutlery, e479, sos In 1873,
and RS64, 1884 In 1874; iron and steel bar, bolt,
&c., 81 095 tons In 1873, and only s,ST9 in 1874;
railroad iron, 1874 ,S93 tons in 1873, and n, 631
In 1874; old iron, 81 400 tons in 1873, and only
6,259 In 1874: tin plates, s., 462 tons In 1873,
and 63,9O5 in 1874 steel, 1854 in 1873, and
1908 In 1874; linen goods, 90, s26 cit yards IN
1873, and q, 9OT $50 in 1874; machinery, R34s,
9Ot In 1s7S and R125, 791 in 1874; salt, LIS, 76S
tons in 1873, and 1O2, 915 in 1874; paper, R69, :
SIS in 1S7S and R24 O46 in 1874; spirits, Is, 05O
gallons in 1873, and 90, $50 in 1874; silk, man.
ufactures, ribbons, &C., G42 ,603 In 1873, and
Gl9, SO7 in 1874; silk mixed goods, e53, ST in
1873, and e. POS in 1874; wool, SIS, 153 lbs. in
1873, and only s7,51s in 1874; woollen cloths,
e9lO, 1872 in 1873, and cess, 191 in 1874; worst
eds, e., ,O35 in 1873, and Ell 976, $50 in 1874
carpets in 1873, G494 $50, and in 1874, a42O 1893.
1t will be noticed that the falling OF both In
quantities and values is unanimous and regu-
lar throughout this list, with the exception
that in raw materials or those to enter into our
manufactures the discrepancies are greatest as
In wool, iron and steel and machinery.
On the other hand, the exports of domestic
produce from this country during ten months
ending April so, 1874, compare with those Of
1873, as follows: 1873, s4S5, 457 1853 against
S51S, 95I, $3.50 In 1874, of which was specie and
bullion in 1873, S64 ,692 ,O42, and in 1874, only
$780, liz, GIG, showing an excess Of exports over
imports, after allowing for the differences in
warehouse, of s29, 2SO, 937, while for the same
period Of 1873 the imports exceeded the exports
by Sos, All SIT.
These figures taken together indicate & dis
position for economy on the part of our people
to the extent Of wearing out their old clothes
and consuming what they have on hand before
purchasing more on credit, which is highly en-
couraging. And It is all the more so from the
fact that while they are doing these they are
still paying up their Indebtedness more rapidly
than they did in the flush times Of 1873.