The Russellville Democrat., 1877-03-29
The Foreign Trade Returns for Jan uary and What They
 Indicate.

Indicate.
 A summary of the returns to the bu. reau of statistics of tke foreign trade of the United States for the month of Jan- uary is just published. The returns show that the imports continue to fall away and the exports to advance, as they have done now for more than year. The imports of merchandise were $37,- 056,000, against $42,099,000 for the month of January, 1876. Specie was brought in to the amount of g, 139, ,307 against $759, ,293 year ago, and the to- tai decrease of imports was $3,064, ,401. The exports for January, mixed vslues, were $6S, ,302, ,756, against $57, ,912,4 ,424 for for 1876; exports of specie were g, ,932,- 629, against $2, ,352, ,624 and the total in- crease for the month was $11, 900, ,237. What is generally call he balance of trade was, therefore, 7e7 in our favor to the extent of $l4,OO3,6oS. We have not as yet compared the items of export and import, in which noticeable changes have taken place. Previous to doing so we invite our readers attention to some facts in connection with the trade of 1876, which will not be without value.
 During the last calendar year, the inn ports of merchandise into the United States fell off $76,376, 900. Of this de- cline the largest single item was in wools and manufactures of wool, of which we took less $15 630,0 0,000 than tho previous year. The next largest item, being al- most the same in amount, was coffee, of which we took less by $l5,012,000 than in 1875. In silks the falling off was $9,- 193,000. I flax and it's manufactures it was $l,755,000. In earthen and china ware it was $2,922,000. In cotton, bleached and unbleached. and in prints and jeans, etc., it was $3,254, ,000. In steel rails it was $1, ,140, ,OOO. In tin it was g, ,6S2, ,00O. In fax-seed, 8, 162, ,000, In precious stones, $919,000. These arti- cles include those in which the decrease was. the most considerable, land in these it amounted to $55, ,669, ,O00. or about three fourths of the whole. The significance of the decline as above described is only too plain. It shows not lessened abili- ty to indulge in luxuries only, as in the case of silks and precious stones but an inability to com mand some articles which, like coffee, are comforts approximating to necessi- ties, and some which are nearly al- ways necessities, as woelen goods and earthenware and crockery. In the case of woolen goods, the foreign article was partially replaced by home manufactures, and this was true of cotton goods as well, but in the items of steel rails, flax seed, foreign wools and tin, which are raw ma terials of American manufacture, the de- crease was due to stagnation of Ameri- can industry.
 If, now, we turn to our exports, we find that the total increase over the pre- vious year was $70, 40, 900. The most important items of increase were as fol lows: In Indian corn, $l7, ,283, ,000; in mineral oils, SIS, 8,423, ,000; in bacon and hams, $15, ,703, 900, and in lard, $4.365, GOO; in leaf tobocco, 13, ,636, 900; in cop. per. $1,S17, ,00O; in uncolored cottons, $2,4l0, GOO; in clover seed, etc., $l, ,760,- GOO; in beef, $1 1904 ,00O; in butter, $l,- 7O4, ,O00; in hops, $1 ,027 ,000, and in metal cartridges, $1,l67 ,000. These items account for an increase of ESQ., 60S,000, which was offset by falling off in wheat, g, ,153 ,000; in cotton, $6, ,48l,- 900; in furs, $l,2l9,OO0; in hides, $l,- S93, 900; in firearms, $2, 130, 900, and in tallow, $2, 159,000. It will be seen that with some important exceptions, the in- crease in our exports is in provisions or in products in low state of preparation, and intended as the raw material of other industries. The most remarkable items of increase are in Indian corn, il- 1... s~-c a,t hams and lard. These include all but a few millions of the net increase in ex- ports. The items which show the fruit of American industry carried beyond the primary stages of manufacture are ca.t- ridges, uncolored cottons, Illuminating oils, bacon, hams and lard. These cover something more than one-half of the net increase.
 These facts indicate healthful process going on in our commercial relations with the rest of the world. We are buy. ing lees. which, though not a sign of prosperity, is condition of it, especially where country or an individual has previously been buying on large credit. We are also paying our debts with the products of industry, and, in the case of colored cottons and Of Illuminating oiis, we are showing resources as yet compara- lively undeveloped. There is no reason to doubt that this process will continue. Necessity is the mother of invention, and if our European friends will not sell us goods or lend us money on our corporate securities, we shall certainly contrive some way of getting goods and money on other terms.