The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-12-07

The average annual value of our imports
fiscal years. prior to 1891. was 81, 457, SO. Ola
Ii will be observed that our foreign trade
Tor 1892 exceeded this annual average value
by S40O. .35S, ,59l. an increase of 27.47 per cent.
The significance and value of this increase
are shown by the fact that the excess In
the trade of ls92 over 1891 was wholly in
the value of exports. for there was de-
crease In the value of imports of $l7.513.-
754.
The value of our exports during the fiscal
year 1892 reached the highest figure In the
history OF the government, and amounted
TO $l,O3O. 21S las. exceeding by $l45, 797. .33S
the exports of 1891, and exceeding the vaiue
of imports by S202, S75, ESQ. A comparison Of
the value OF our exports for 1892. with the
aHnua, ,so average for the ten years ss prior 20
34.65 per cent. The value OF our imports of
merchandise for 1892, W. which W as SS29, 402. 462.
also exceeded the annual average value OF
the ten years prior to 1891 by S135. .215, 44o.
During the fiscal year 1892 the value OF i'm
ports free of duty amounted to 2457. .999. .65S,
the largest aggregate in the history o. our
commerce. The value of the imports of
merchandise entered free of duty in 1892
was IS. S5 per cent. of the total value of im-
ports, as compared with 43. 81 per cent. In
1871, and 1896 per cent. IN 1890.
In our coastwiso trade a most encourag-
ing development is in progress. there hav.
ing been In the last four years an increase
of 16 per cent.
that no such period of prosperity has ever
before existed. The freight carried in the
coastwIse trade of the great lakes IN 1890
aggregated Is 295. $50 tons. On the MissIs-
sippi, Missouri and Ohio rivers and tributar-
passing through the Detroit river during
that year was 81, 6s4, 600 tons. The vessel
tonnage entered and cleared in the foreign
trade OF London during 1890 amounted TO
IL. 4sO. 767 tons. and of Liverpool, 1904, 500
t0ns total for these two great shipping
ports of "a, 422, SOS tons. only slightly in ex
cess of the vessel tonnage passing through
the Detroit river. And il should be said
that the season for the Detroit river was
but 22S days. while, OF course, in London
and Liverpool the season was for the en-
tire year. Tho vessel tonnage passing
through the st. Marys canal for the fiscal
year 1892 amounted to 9,S2S, ,S74 tons, and
the freight tonnage of the Detroit river
is estimated for that year at %. 600. 600 tons.
against %, 2o9, ,6l9 tons In 1891.
The aggregate traffic on our railroads for
the year 1891 amounted to704, 1893. 609 tons of
freight. compared with 69l. .344 437 tons in
1890, an increase of 13.054.l75 tons.
EVIDENCE OF GREAT PROSPERITY.
Another indication Of the general pros
perity of the country found in the fact
that the number of deposltors in savings
banks increased from 693,670 in 1850 to A.
25S, S93 in 1890. an increase of 513 per cent,
and the amount of deposits from $149. 277,-
504 in 1860 to 81 ,524, ,s44. SOC In 1890. an in
crease of 921 per cent In 1891 the amount
of deposits in savings banks was 81, ,62S,-
079. 749. 1t is estimated that 80 per cent. Of
these deposits represent the savings Of
wage-earnera The bank clearances for
nine months ending Sept. so, 1891, amount
ed to Si1 ,049. 800. sos. For the same months
in 1892 they amounted to s45. 49,. 60l. 947. an
excess for the nine months OF 81. I'll $40.
There never has been a time in our his
tory when work was so abundant or whom
wages were as high, whether meas
ured by the currency in which
ply the necessaries and comforts of life. 1t
is true that the market prices of cotton
and wheat have been low. 1t is one of the
unfavOrable incidents of agriculture that
He must SOW and reap in ignorance OF the
great production of the year and is pecu-
lIarly subject to the depreciation which fol-
lows sover-production. But while the fact
/ have stated Is true as TO the crops have
mentioned, the general average OF prices
has been such as to give to agriculture q
fair participation IN the general prosperity.
The value of our total farm products has
increased from 81, ,363 646S66 in 1860 to
"a, 500, ,OOO.O00 In 1891, as estimated by statis-
ticians an increase of 230 per cent. The
number of hogs Jan. ], 1891, was 5),625. 106
and their value S2l0, l93. .925; on Jan. /, 1892.
the number was So. 39e, ,O19 and the value
S24l ,931, ,415. On Jan. ], 1891, the number of
cattle was 36S75, GAS, and the value S5i4, 127, :
COS: on Jan. /, 1892 the number was 81, ,651, >
239 and the valuo S570, 749. 1855.
If any are discontented with their state
here. II any believe that wages or prices,
the returns for honest toll. are inadequate.
they should not fail to remember that there
is no other country in the world where the
conditions that seem to them hard would
not be accepted as highly prosperous The
English agriculturist would be glad to ex-
the American farmer, and the Manchester
workmen their wages for those of their
fellows at Fall River. / believe that the
protective system which has now for some
thing more than thirty years continuously
prevailed in our legislation has been a
mighty instrument for the development of
our national wealth. and most powerful
agency In protecting the homes of our
workingmen from the invasion of want.
have felt a most solicitous interest to pre-
serve to our working people rates of wages
that would not only givc daily bread but
supply q comfortable margin for those
home attractions and family comforts and
enjoyments without which life ia neither
comfortable nor sweet. They are American
civiZens-a part of the great people for
whom our Constitution and government
were framed and instituted-and it cannot
be q perversion of that Constitution to 90
legislate rs TO preserve in the homes the
comfort. independence. loyalty and eense
of interest In the government which are cs-
sential to good citizenship In peace, and
which will bring this stalwart throng, as
In 1851. to the defense of the flag when 1t IL