Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-08
OUR GERMAN IMPORTS.
Did the Mckinley Tariff Bill Cause
the Great Decrease
REPORTS FROM THE CONSULATES.
impossible to Draw Any Definite Cenclu-
sions Yet Awhile.
ALL MANUFACTURED GOODS FALL OFF

| N,
wards has just finished his statement,
showing the value of the declared exports
from the Berlin Consul's jurisdiction to
the United States during the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1891.
| The Berlin Consulate General comprises
| Consulates at Bremen, Breslau, Brunswick,
Chemnitz Dresden, Hamburg, Leipsic,
Magdeburg, Plauen and Stettin. These
different Consulates cover widely varying
industrial interests, and it might be of
value to analyze the figure of each Consul
ate, but this would require too much space.
1t will suffice to give the general figures and
compare some of the most important items
with those of the preceding year. This will
be of especial interest, as the Mckinley bill
has been in force during the last nine
months of the fiscal year.
A synopsis of the exports from the Frank
| fort Consular district will also be given, but
as the Frankfort Consul General issues
only annual reports at the end of each
calendar wear, it is possible now to give
only the statistics of the first six months of
1891, as compared with the corresponding
months in 1890.
The total exports from the Berlin Con-
sular district duriug the year ending June
80, 1891, amounted to S59, ,753, ,2O1, as COM
pared with SEC, ,056, ,9S7 of the preceding
year, thus showing a decrease of nearly
Sc, SOC, 900.
WHERE THE DECREASE OCCURRED.
Among the more important items are:
Albums, of which S591, ,431 A were ex-
ported this year, as against $685. 633 16 of
the previous year. On the other hand,
books and printed matter, on which, just as
on albums, an increased tariff was placed,
amounted to 81, 1,026,770 Il, an increase of
1881, ,04S 04 over the previous year. But
tons and button covers showed only S44,-
157 76, as against S1Sl, ,1S3 70 in 1SS9-'9O, a
decrease of almost 75 per cent. Dress and
piece goods fell from S6,719,379 46 in
1899 to 81, 945, 9O5 56 in 1S9O-'91. Gloves
and hosiery show heavy decreases, the lat
ter, especially in the Chemnitz district.
Sugar fell from S15, 232, GIG rs to S11, $685.
3S6 40, decrease of over S3, 500,0 900. To-
! bacco about held its own.
The Frankfort Consulate General COM
prises the Consulates of Eau de Cologne,
Barmen, Cologne, Dusseldorf, Frankfort,
Kiel, Mannheim, Mayence, Munich, Nurem-
berg, Sonneberg, Stuttgart and the Com
mercial Agency at Fuerth. In the Frank
fort consular jurisdiction the value of de-
clared exports during the six months eud-
ing June 80, 1891, was $18, 406, ,301 81, as
against S21 ,307 900 81 in the corresponding
six months of the preceding year. Braids,
bindings and trimmings decreased from
1898, ,54S % to SIG, ,265 49, Bronze powders
and leaf metal were exported to the value
of S312, 944 S0-$145, ,651 81 less than in 1890.
MANUFACTURED GOODS FALL OFF.
Of china, glass; porcelain and stoneware,
over 500, 900 worth was exported-only
little less than last year. Of eau-de-cologne,
$4,000 worth was exported, as against
$40, 900 in 1890. Dyes, drugs and chemicals
amounted to So, 100, ,523 60, an increase of
S2S5, ,472 80 Fancy goods and toys were
S261 1,s75 80 less in value than in the first
six months of 1890. Plate glass, window
and mirror glass also fell from over
81, ,OOO, 900 in 1890 to 5000, 900 in 1891.
American imports from Southern Ger
many, 1885, 900 worth of hair, and over
$500, 900 worth of hops. The latter article
has increased about 80 per cent this year.
Iron ware, steel and cutlery have
fallen from 81, GA, ,548 81 to $902, ,365 02 a
decrease of nearly so per cent. Linen,
cotton and wooden goods amounted to ST.
S07 1856 II, an apparent increase of S219,-
2S4 "a, but as the item of cloth has disap-
peared from this years statement, whereas
last year it amounted to over $500, 900, this
increase is only seeming one. Music and
musical instruments were exported to the
value of S120,26 49, Silk goods, velvet
ribbons and braids fell from "a IA, 225S 4S to
S2,941 GIL 9S. Of wines, brandy, beer and
liquors, America took during the last half
year S725, ,469 SO worth.
From this mass of figures, it is however
next to impossible to draw any definite con-
clusions as to the workings and effects of the
Mckinley bill.
REGULATION ARE OBJECTIONABLE.
~, tho &c
exports are due to the strict regulations of
the department as regards the invoicing of
goods at their place of origin. Sugar, for
instance, was formerly all invoiced from
Magdeburg by the sugar brokers there, no
matter whether it came from Germany or
from Austria Now the Austrian sugar
must be invoiced at the proper Consulate
there, hence the seeming falling off in the
importation of sugar.
The increase of value in certain exports is
also not always due to an increased number
of invoices, but frequently to the exertions
of our Consular corps to prevent underval-
uations Where formerly in many places
system of deplorable looseness prevailed
and invoices were accepted anyway" there
is now the strictest discipline and watchful-
ness. To Consul General Edwards much
credit of this achievement is due. He
started his reforms in spite of all opposi-
tion and carried them through. He was
manfully assisted therein by every Consul
in his district. In the districts under Con-
sui General Mason a similar spirit prevails
Besides the reasons given above other
extraordinary circumstances prevent the
possibility of Judging the effects of the Nc
Kinley bill by the figures given. In antici-
patton of its passage heavy shipments of
all kinds of goods were rushed across the
ocean. The American market was over
stocked with goods, and in consequence the
first year of the bills existence will show
q dncreaSe in eNnnrfs from Germanv tn the