The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-09-05
OUR FOREIGN TRADE STATISTICS.

OUR FOREIGN TRADE STATISTICS.
A Fairhaven correspondent writes as
follows:
l see published the report of the bureau of
statistics for 1891 showing the trade and COM
merce:
Imports
Gold and silver. 36,259,4F
Total 1881 ,564
Exports
Gold and silver. los, 953,642
Please explain If this is gain or loss to the
United States.
The following figures are fuller state
ment for our purpose:
Exports domestic. 1872, 27O,2s3 $S45. 1928
Exports, foreign ......... l2,2Ol,462 2,53I,S56
Total ................. sss4, 471,745 857,s2sss4
Imports dutiable s47s SOS 1856 $52s, 641, $50
Imports, free OF duty. 36s,23s,66l $500
Total ..........$s 44, sO7,l17 s7ss, $40, 400
Excess OF exports.. S9,564,e1s 6S,5ls,275
Gold aud STEER
Excess OF gold, exports. s6s,1so,os7 s4.3si.Ii9
Excess of silver, exports. 4,564,l0S lS,S40,9i5
The exports of merchandise increased by
over $26, 600, 900, and the imports of duti-
able merchandise fell off by about s45, OOO,-
600, while the increase in the imports of
free merchandise was about 800, 600, 900.
This increase of non-dutiable imports was
due to increased importation of coffee $751;
100000, and raw sugar $42 100000, which
accounts for $60, 00O, 900 of this increase,
and the rest is represented by chemicals,
dye stuffs, fruits, hides and crude rubber
The decline in dutiable imports is repre-
sented by imports of wooden goods, which
fell from s56, $4,000 to $41, O60, 900; of leaf
tobacco from ST., SOS, 600 to $13, 2s3, 600; of
unmanufactured fax. hemp and jute from
| SIS, s44, 900 to $5.9S1, 900; of manufactures
of the same from $2S, 42l 900 to $24, 900, 600:
of barley from IS, 629, 600 to 1920, 900; of
| hats. bonnets and materials from SO, 39s. 600
to s672, 1886; and of buttons, except brass,
| gilt or silk, from So ,207 900 to 2,O96, 400.
This increase of non-dutiable imports
was obtained without any loss of protec-
ton to American labor or capital, for
under the new tariff the repeal of revenue
duties on articles which we cannot supply
to our people from our own soil and indus
try cheapened them for American consum-
ers and led to their importation on a
| greater scale, while the decline in dutiable
imports helps our own manufacturers and
keeps many millions, to be spent in in
creased labor and wages, at home that
would have otherwise gone abroad. The
country is that much richer in conse-
quence. The people are not losing money
by purchasing at home instead of
abroad when they can get the same
kinds of goods just as cheap, or even if
they had to pay little more for them.
The fight of gold has been so exceptional
that we must accept John Shermans ex-
| PLANTATION when he says that the threat of
free silver coinage and its consequent, the
silver standard, made Europe sell our
securities in unprecedented amounts In
the past year, or from August Z, 1890. to
| August g. 1891, the three great European
banks have gained SSS, SIS, SO2 in gold and
lost $50, 42S.l Ia in silver. The United
States treasury. from August 1, 1890, to
August 1, 1891, lost $40, 70s, 4I0 in
gold and gained $55,6s4 96I in silver.
The only issue that clouds the pres
ent outlook is whether our grain
| exports will return this loss of gold to the
banks and country by gold imports: that
is, whether Europe will pay for our crops
in gold or securities. The only reason why
| Europe may return securities instead of
gold from Europe under our present cir
cumstances is found in the silver threat
which was attached to American promises
to pay dollars by the long free silver dis
cussion and action of our last congress.
The balance of trade is in our favor, and
for the exceptional flight of gold the free
silver debate and action of the United
States Senate is responsible.