Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-03-01
SOME INTERESTING FIGURES.

We have received the Statistical Alb
stracts, issued from the United States
Treasury Department. From this heavy
volume we learn that our export trade
with China for the year ending June 80
1885, amounted to 1896, 506, while our
imports aggregated S16,292, 1862 Yet in
1871, we imported from China values ag-
gregating $2O,G64,365 and exported but
S2,070,s32. and in 1873 imported $27, 49,
759 and exported S2,535,970. At no time
have our exports exceeded nine and one
sixth millions nor our imports exceeded
twenty millions. For the meager
balance against us indicated by the differ
ence between the contrasting totals we are
told that the civilization of the country
must be put in jeopardy. In fifteen years
last past our imports have fuctuated be.
tween 81, 100000 and S27 100000, and in
three years have declined from S22 000, 900
to Sl6,222, l69, and our exports between
1870 and 1886 varied from $4,000, 900 to
100000, and fell off between 1882 and
1886 over two and a quarter million dollars
in value. In the hope of gain, therefore-in
the face Of such showing-we are told
that oar trade with China more than com
pensatfs us for the degradation of Ameri-
can labor. and the nuisance of Chinese i'm
migration. In 1885 we exported to Great
Britaia's and Ireland's ports (Hongkong
being included in the statement regarding
China 1898, 1926 of values and i'm
ported $780, 01, 1880 If we include Canada.
British America, British West Indies.
British Honduras and Guiana, British
East Indies, Gibraltar, British Africa and
Australasia, our exports amounted in 1885
year ending June S0thl to the enormous
sum of over S465,000,000, while our i'm
ports aggregated $206,O0000O of value.
Now the comparison of these trade figures
show how insignificant is the sum Of
the China trade compared with that
OF other trade. Why, our commerce
with the Hawaiian Islands in 1885 agpre-
gated S3,0o0,000 of exports, and nearly
S9,000.00J imports, while that with far
distant Italy, summed up, gives us the fig
ures of about Sl2,000,000 of exports and
: ST., 100000 OF imports. Japan sent us in
the same Year nearly Sl2,0OO,0OO of values,
and we sent her over S3,O00,000. The
Japanese trade has grown from S571 900 of
exports in 1870 to S12,000,000 in 1885.
The italian trade from six and half
millions in 1870, to fourteen and half in
1885. In fact, all along the line. Havti
and San Domingo, Mexico, the Neither.
lands, Russia, Spain, Portugal, Sweden
and Norway, Turkey, in Europe, Asia and
Africa, our trade has grown, doubling and
quadrupling and more in the fifteen years,
while that with China has actually de-
ciined on both sides of the ledger. We
buy from China three dollars worth of
goods for every one dollars worth we sell
her, and there is no indication that this
drainage of values is ever to change to
current in the opposite direction. The
Bulletin comes to the conclusion that our
trade with China 10 1. mere cvp,ier. not
worth the figuring. when compared to the
results flowing from energies exerted |
IN other directions. And so i. is. 1t
ought to be clear to our Eastern friends. |
from the cold facts of figures, that if we
turned every Chinaman in California
homeward tomorrow, it would not have
the slightest influence upon the Chinese
trade. except to lessen the balance against
us, since the importation of Chinese per-
sonal supplies would cease. But then so
would the output of wages won from our
industries by the Chinese-mounting up
into the millions.