The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-11-21
IMPORTS AND EXPORTS.
Secretary of Agriculture Sends His
Report TO the President.
THINKS MUCH CREDIT DUE HIM.
finds Encourage ment for Farmers In Re-
gard TO Imports Pensions TO New Eng
Ianders and Other Interesting News
from the National Capital.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 2l.-The report OF
the secretary of agriculture haybeen sub
mitted to the President. The report en-
phasizes the fact that of the more than
one billion dollars worth of exports OF
our domestic products for the past year,
nearly eighty per cent. consists of agri-
cultural products, making the United
States the creditor OF the world for over
500 0000, 900, the excess OF our exports over
imports, and relieving our home market
from a surplus product which would
otherwise have reduced pr ces 10 a pOinl
below cost of production. For larg,
share in bringing about the condition
which have made these results posi- bic
the secretary claims credit for his depart.
ment.
In regard 10 imports, he finds encour-
agement for farmers in the fact that, in
spite of an aggregate increase, there is n
reduction in the proportion OF imports
consisting OF products which compete
with American agriculture. While in the
fiscal year ended in 1889, tifty-four per
cent of the imports consisted OF compel
ing products, only foTty-four per cent OF
our imports for The past fiscal year did SO
compete.
The secre. ary, nevertheless, regards the
imports competing with the products OF
our own soil as still far too great.
He instances forty million dollars worth
OF animal products, sixty million dollars
worth OF fibres, twenty seven million dol
lars worth OF hides, twenty million dol
lars worth of fruits and wines as articles
OF this kind, and cites the imports of raw
silk, amounting TO 25,000,0O0 dollars year
ly, as an instance OF products imported
which could with proper encouragement
be produced In this country.
The secretary says that since his last re-
l,fl mat
products have been withdrawn in all
countries where they existed and forty
million pounds of inspected pork, which
without inspection could not have found
a market abroad, have been exported.
Referring to this proclamation OF Sep
tember %, declaring the country free from
pleuro- pneumonia the secretary empha-
sizes the precautions taken before the
proclamation was issued and the thor
oughly satisfactory grounds existing for
this declaration of our immunity from
that disease.
The secretary refers to the over-produc-
tion and low price OF cotton during the
past few years, and commends the efforts
OF growers TO reduce the cotton area and
TO devote a portion of their land to other
crops. Most OF our imported cotton
comes from Egypt and is demanded by
manufacturers on account OF its peculiar
characteristics. Some imports OF cotton
are also made from Peru and the secretary
is informed that all the Peruvian cotton
imported finds it's way into the manufac-
tories OF wooden goods; this cotton IL es-
pecially available for mixing with woolen
goods without detection. With view TO
checking imports of foreign cotton, the
secretary has designed some experiments
with the hope OF producing cotton OF
home growth which shall serve as an eff
ciept substitute for the Egyptian.
The secretary attributes the excessive
anticspations formed regarding the price
for wheat throughout the crop year OF
1891 TO failure TO appreciate the changed
conditions now surrounding the produc-
tion and marketing OF the worlds wheat
crop. he says the conditions which have
at last overwhelmed cotton growers now
confront wheat growers. Hence the
American farmer must reduce the wheat
average and 80 bring production down to
the normal demand.
He says that the domestic market, which
has heretofore absorbed ten million bush
els OF foreign barley, is now reserved for
the domestic product, and our acreage
and production have increased and beer
disposed of at good prices
The experience of the department in the
domestic sugar industry for the past year,
the report states, shows that domestic
sugar can be produced with profit to the
growers OF the crop and to the manufRct-
urer, provided that the conditions of cul
ture and manufacture insisted upon by
the department are secured. The secre-
tary says the total number of animals sub
jected TO ante and post-mortem examina-
tions for the fiscal year exceeds five mil
lions. The cost Of inspection was S370,e
600.
He states that pleuro- o-pneumonia has
caused loss TO British cattle growers OF
half billion dollars and asserts that this
Is the only country where that disease hay
ing gained foothold, has been entirely
eradicated. The secretary reviews the
work done under his administration and
makes a number OF accommodations.