The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-03-24
1t Has Been Very Heavy Against the
United States for the Past Few
Months.
Great Increase In the Consumption of
Some Articles Of Foreign Pro
cmction.
Some Interesting Statistics Published
by Washington News
paper.


prints the following story: During the
month Of February just ended the bal
ance of trade against the United States
amounted to $50, ,00u, ,000 For 70 months
ended ON on Feb. 2S last, the balance of
trade against the United States was
$S2, 600, 900. These figures have just
been made public in Lulletin of the
bureau of statistics and have attracted
an unusual amount of attention here
among men who give thoughtful atten-
tion to the financial situation. It is a
remarkable and unpleasant showing,
and the worst OF it is that there does
not seem to be any reason to expect q
change for some time to come.
Reason for Gold ExportA
First of all. the excess OF imports over
exports shows why So. .00O, 900 of the
$50 ,oOO, 900 OF gold was exported last
year. This amount at least, has not
been exported for foreign nations who
desire to hoard gold. but because the
people of the United States contracted
debts for purchases made abroad. The
articles which the people of the United
States buy abroad to such an extent as
to make the balance of trade against
the United States
q Make an Interesting showing.
The figures for the seven months ending
on Jan. 81 last, the latest obtainable,
give answer to this interesting question.
One OF the largest items of increase is
1n fos -, flsx ,NvSff
named, as compared with tho same pc.
riod in the previous year. increased
from $6a, ,0o0,0 900 to $75, 900, 900.
The imports of tobacco increased
something like 81, ,OOO, 900, while the one
item OF rubber ran up from $1,000, 900
TO SIS O00. 900. There was an increase
Of So 000, 600 in importations OF manu-
factured cotton, the total reaching $l9,-
Get. .U00 -uf III, ,50p0UU fiji manufactnres
of fax hemp, of the same amount for
fruits. of $1,000. 900 for manufactures OF
wool. and of nearly 81, COG, 900 for manu-
factures of wood The imports of iron
and steel have increased So, SOC, 900.
The Item or Silk
is also interesting. The importation of
manufactured silk increased in the
seven months named to$20, 900, ,0O0 from
81, 600, 900, while in addition to this in
crease of $500, 900. there should be
added the "a, OU0, 900 shown in the in
creased importations of articles ofman-
ufactured silk In other words. for the
few articles enumerated the people Of
the. United States paid over $50, ,000, 900
more during the seven months ended on
the slst day Of last January than they
did for the same period one year pre-
viously.
No Immediate Relief
Nor, as above stated, does it appear
that there viii be any immediate relief
from this outgo OF American money.
Wheat and cotton are the great factors
in the exports. The figures show that
in the seven months already stated, az
compared with the previous year, the
exports OF raw cotton fell OF in round
numbers from sra OOU, 900 to $i27 7,0OO,- :
O0O-over $40. .OOO, ,O0O
The exports OF wheat fell from $116,-
0OO, 900 to $6O, ,0o0, O00, and all the other
breadstuffs in like proportion. The ex-
ports Of agricultural products fell from
9518, 10000 to 4B97, 900. 900, d very
heavy decrease A bulletin issued by
the department of agriculture conveys
the information that the present condi-
tions for the European crop are very
favorable. This indicates. of course,
that there will be-
Very Little Demand
for American wheat abroad. This same
bulletin OF the department. ok agrieul-
ture also shows that the wheat crop of
Europe this year win b 40 lsse thnlx
1,3i2, ZOO, 900 bushels. IN increase from
1851, ON. .UC0. to which Asia win aIId
$50, ,O0O, 900 bushels. As against Till
enormous yield the entiro crop of
North America Is placed at only 6e0,4
NOOO, 900 bushels. Another element tIiSt
must be taken into consid "A Oos1s
nection with the figures of the balance
of trade Is the fact that since the war
the merchant marine Of the Unifed
States has steadily declined. until now
. this country pays
A High al 500. 600, 600
TO foreign crews and snipowiiers for
carrying American goods. The expense
under this head IL sometimes estimated
as high as $3.50, ,o0O, 90 This, Of course.
adds 70 the amount of gold which has
besIl shipped abroad to meet payments,
and under the present condition of
affairs no change Is likely to occur.
il win be seen, therefore, from this
presentation that the question Of ex-
ports and imports has reached q point
where it forebcdes serious situation.
II adds another problem To- confront an
administration which ii already aoyer-
burdened with perplexities and win
have TO be taken into account when the
hramers OF the next tariff bill begin
their important work.