Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-12-25
AMERICAN COMMERCE..
Extraordinary Increase In Ameri-
can Exports.

extraordinary Increase In Ameri-
can Exports.
WASHINGTON, Dec, l9.-President
Hayes, answering the request of the
Senate to transmit any informstion
which has been received by the de.
pertments concerning tho postal and
commercial intercourse between. the
United States and South American
countries, together with any recon.
mendations, submits the reports of
the Secretary Of State and the Post
master General, and says: The exter-
nal commerce OF the United States
has for many years been subject of
solicitude, because of the outward
drain of the precious metals it has
caused. For fully twenty years pre-
vious to 1877, tho shipment Of gold
was constant and heavy-so heavy
during the entire period Of the sus-
pension Of specie payment as to pre-
clude the hope Of resumption safely
during its continuance. In 1876, how
ever, vigorous efforts were made by
enterprising citizens Of the country,
and have continued, to extend our
general commerce with foreign lands,
especially in manufactured articles,
and these efforts have been attended
with very marked success. The inn
portatiOn Of manufactured goods was
ct the same time reduced in An equal
degree. The result has been an ex-
traordinary reversal Of the conditions
so long prevailing, and the complete
cessation of the outward drain of
gold. The official statement of the
values represented in foreign COM
merce will show the unprecedented
magnitude to which the movement
has attained and tho protection thus
secured to the public interests at q
time when commercial security has
become indispensable. The agencies
through which this change has been
effected must be maintained and
strengthened il the future is to be
made secure. A return to excessive
imports, or to material decline in
the export trade, would ronder posi-
BILE return to the former condition
Of adverse balances, with the inevita-
Bile outward drain Of gold as neces.
sary consequence. Every element of
aid to the introduction Of tho pro-
ducts Of our soil and manufactures
into new markets should be made
available at present. Such is the IA
vor with which many Of the products
Of the United States. are held, that
they obtain remunerstive distribu-
ton, Notwithstanding positive differ
ences Of cost resulting from our de-
fective shipping and the imperfection
Of our arrangements in many re-
spects, in comparison with those of
our competitors. for conducting trade
with foreign markets. If we have
equal commercial facilities we need
not fear competition where
The laws have now directed the re.
sumption Of financial equality with
other nations and having ordered
. return to the basis Of coli
values, it is Of the greatest import
ance that the commercial condition
now fortunatly attained shall be mad,
permanent, and that our rapidly In
creasing export trade shall not be sl
4 lowed to suffer for want Of the ordi
nary means of communication wit
other countries. The accompanyiu
, reports contain . valuable and il
strnctive summary Of the informatio
, with respect to our commercial iute
ieets In South America. where AN 1,