The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1884-11-14
NATIONAL COMMERCE.
Curious and Interesting Facts Cleaned
from Chief Nimmo's RePort--
Immense Sums for Trffng
Articles and Luxuries.

The fourth of the Quarterly state
ments" of the commerce of this coun-
try for the past fiscal year, issued by
Chief NimmO, of the bureau of statis-
tics, has just made its appearance. 1t
contains some interesting statements
about the exports and imports of the
year, interesting not only to those inter-
ested in commerce, and to students of
political economy, but many that are
interesting from their very popularity.
Who, for instance, would suppose that
there was million and half dollars
worth of dolls and toys of this sort i'm
ported into this country in a year, sell
ing, of course, for double the sum val
ued at the custom houses. Those who
are interested by this will be further in
terested to know that the importation
of laces for the year amounted to more
than S10,000,000, and that of orna-
mental feathers alone the amount
imported was valued at nearly
$4,000,000, and of course sold for
double that. Still another curiosity in
that line is buttons, of which there
were about 100000 worth brought
from abroad. 1t is especially strange
that the buttons imported in the year
should be nearly half as great in value
as the diamonds imported, the total
value of the latter being put at So, OOO,-
900. Those who are not interested in
this and are of more severely practi-
cal turn, may be interested to know
that the sugar imported into the coun-
try in the year and eaten by the people
was 2,700, 100000 pounds, or enough to
load a train of cars hundreds of miles
in length, and enough to furnish every
man, woman and child of the country
fifty pounds each during the year, be-
sides what is raised in this country.
That the people of this country should
cat, on an average, one-third their
weight per year in sugar seems almost
incredible, but as figures do not lie, it
must be accepted as fact. The in
crease in sugar importation in the year
was about 600,000,000 pounds, but the
increase cost only about $6,000,000.
The value of the sugar imported dur
ing the year was, in round numbers,
800, 100000. Or if these facts do not
interest all, there may be others who
would be gratitied to know that the av-
Cl CltiLCh oDOoCQ VI lCh pOuuQS VI
coffee in the year, the quantity imported
being 534, 900, 900 pounds, with total
appraised value of S50,000,000. 1t will
be observed that the value fixed upon
coffee is only an average of 10 cents per
pound, or about one-third of the actual
selling price, so that if this is fair
standard it may be estimated that the
people of this country paid out for cot
fee and tea and sugar during the year
about between five and six hundred |
million dollars. A curious fact, and |
one worthy of note as showing how |
many of the tropical products, even of
a most perishable nature, are now en-
joyed here, is that nearly 100000 |
worth of bananas were imported in the
year, of course, selling for three or four
times that sum. Another fact interest
ing to some people is that the cham
payne and other wines imported in the
year amounted to about So, 1000, 100, and
retailed for about twenty-five millions.
The importations of tobacco and cigars
in the year amounted to about $40, 000,-
900 in value, though it was just half
the amount in value of the tobacco ex-
ported. The unprotected American
then still suffers from the pauper labor
of Europe, the number of eggs import
ed free of duty in the year being in
round numbers 200,000,000, or sixteen
and half million dozen.
Regarding exports, of course cotton
remains king as TO the value of any
single article exported. The exporta-
ton of cotton for the year amounted to
5000, 100000 in round numbers, while
wheat and flour was but 1925, 900, 900
and of corn $28,00O,000 worth. 1t is
also interesting to note that in spite of
the fact that Germany and other coun-
tries abroad have shut their doors to our
hog, he seems to be quite popular
abroad yet, the amount of both ham
and bacon shipped abroad this year
having increased and its values as well.
The number of pounds of bacon sent
abroad during the past year was 341,-
100000 pounds, or 100000 more
han last year, while in lard there was
IN increase of 40,000,0 900 pounds. In
Iced, it is fact worthy of especial men,
ion that this is about our only great ex-
porting product in which we increased
our exports this year, there having been
/ falling off in quantity of wheat and
1our and cotton and oil, and in value of
corn exported. One fact equally notice
lble, but not especially pleasant to con-
emplate, is that the exports of the year
nave fallen off materially compared with
hose of last season in value and in
quantity as well. The importation of
domestic merchandise during the year
vas S725,0O0,OO0, against 1904, 000,0
asst year. The imports were 1867, 0O0,-
100, against 1928, 100000 last year.
The value of exported articles in the
asst year was but S5S,000,0O greater
han that of the imported articles.