The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1892-02-03
Foreign Trade Expansion.

Foreign Trade Expansion.
One OF the most wonderful facts of this
present time is the constantly increasing
foreign trade--a trade during the past
three months that has far surpassed i'll
greatness any previous three months in
the history of the country. Attention
Is called to this fact because calamity
criers were certain that the tariff bill of
two years ago would paralyze our foreign
commerce; and the Alliance lecturers
were proclaiming that the Republican
tariff measures would PROSTATE our in
dustries and send the country to the
dogs.
Listen to what the New York Tribune
says: 1.-THE exports from this country
In December were the largest ever
known in any month. They surpassed
even the exports Of November, prob
ably by more than $5,000,000. Yet, the
exports of November has surpassed
those of any other month in the history
of the country by 81 200 900, as the eX-
ports of October had surpassed any pre-
vious month by $4,300,0C0. Prior to
that month high-water mark had been
touched in December of 1890, when the
value of exports was sos, 45l, 1852; but
the known increase last month in the
five principal classes of products was
$l7 ,5lO,S54, or 1916, per cent. and with
out any increase in other items the ag-
gregate would be almost $4,000, 900.
But in other items there was a consid-
cradle increase in November, although
the value of other principal classes, ex
cept breadstutfs, diminished. Some of
the minor exports, it is true, were ex-
ceptlonally large year ago, those of
copper ore and ingots, for example, of
cotton manufactures, of leather and of
refined sugar, 80 that a moderate shrink
age in these is possible, butin others in
crease will appear. In any event, the
aggregate for the month is little likely
to fall below Sll5, 900, 900, and until three
months ago the value of exports had
never reached 800, 600, 000 in any month.
"The great part of the increase in De-
cember was in value of breadstuffs. for
the cotton crop of last year was so extra
ordinary that prices have been remark
ably low, and, though 1913 900, 900 pounds
went abroad in December, against 4i0-
100000 pounds in the same month o:
1890, the value was little smaller. In
provisions, cattle and petroleum there
was some decrease, previous exports
having been heavy. But the value of
breadstuffs exported in December was
$50, 24l 1893, against SIC, l26, 1876 for the
same month in 1890. In six months the
value of breadstuffs sent abroad has ex-
ceeded $l55, 200 900, of which $133, 000,-
900 was about the value of wheat, in
Guiding -four. Thus the exports for the
last quarter of 1891 will probably be
found to exceed 1928, 000,00 in value,
and prior to 1860 that value had never
BEEN exported in any year, nor prior 10
1870 In any full year except two. The
aggregate for the calendar year 1891
seems to have been more than $780,
100000, and the largest amount in any
previous year was about $500, 100000 in
1881.
"This wonderful expansion of foreign
trade is at once convincing proof of the
magnitude of many branches of inter-
nal trade, and it is a practical demon
stration of the falsity of theories upon
which the calamity-wailers rely. They
cannot say, for instance, that TOO little
money or too much money has ruined
the country, in the presence of export
which, for some months past, appear to
have surpassed those of Great Britain
or any other nation. The array OF
facts is peculiarly discomfiting to free
traders, because il has been their pet
theory that there could not be large and
liberal exports of products from this
country if imports from other countries
were restricted by protective duties
But the first whole year after the adop-
ton of new and strongly protective
tariff is made remarkable by exports
far surprising those of any previous
year in the history of the country"