St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1895-09-21
OUR FOREIGN TRADE.
Returns chow the Wisdom Of Tariff Re-
siuctfors.


The total value of imports during the
last fiscal year was $731 ,957, ,S75, against
1854. 994 ,623 the previous year, an IN.
crease of SIC, ,963, $50. In view OF tha
great industrial and commercial de.
preston which prevailed last year the
value of imports was large, it having
been exceeded only i've times in the
history Of the country.
On the other hand, the value of do
mestic exports was $7o3, 3e7, 800, against
1860, ,2o4, ,937 the year before, decrease
Of SIS, ,so7. .047. Notwithstanding the
large increase. in imports and decrease
In exports, the latter exceeded the for
mer by SOL, ,440, o15 The exports OF last
year have been exceeded eight times
In our history, and once---in i892--by
over s242. 000. 600
In view Of the fact that for ten
months Of the last fiscal year the inn
ports came in under the new tariff law
comparison of some of the principal
items with the same for the year be.
fore will be OF interest
OF art works, which were put on the
free list by the new law, we imported
to the value Of $3,s45,09 last year,
against 81, ,724, 1914 the year before. or
chemicals, drugs and dyes, the duties
on which were materially reduced, we
imported $40, s52, 500 worth, against
I $37, $50, ITO the year before. Of cotton
goods we imported s33. ly5, ,85e, against
$22. $40, SAT the year before; of earthen,
stone and chinaware, SO, 9p5, ,034, against
/ SO, SIS. 4S7; of iron and steel, $2a, OBJ, 327,
against $21 ,3l4, ,4s9; of leather and rnan-
ufactures thereof, $I3, ,sl9,oi9, against
$o, 4ls,IA5. On all these goods the
duties were considerably reduced.
But while there was decided in-
crease in the Importation of all these
articles, the duties On which were
moderately reduced. there was also an
i increase in imports of goods which
were free under the old law and still
| remain free. Thus there was an in
| crease from 800, 314, ,676 to 500, 1S9, ,3a6 in
coffee, from SIG, 1856, 15a TO s3e, 1ss, 954 in
/ hides and skins others than furs, and
from SIS, ,1s2, ,333 to Sis, AT, ,o87 in un-
manufactured rubber and guttas
| percha. And, again, there was de-
crease in the Importation of some ar
| ticles the duties on which were re-
duced For example, from $Is, 954,771
to s17, ,23a, ,9o5 in FRUITS including nuts;
from SO, COG. .s65 to So, 4ss, ,5s4 in lead and
i manufactures thereof, and from $18,-
/ l54, ,o73 to ST., ,s13,s 1854 in wool and manu-
/ factures thereof,
The imports OF sugar and molasses
fell from 1926, ,914, ,104 TO SIG, ,492, 3o2.
i This decrease Of more than $5o, ,ooo, 900
was due id part TO the enormous i'm
4 portations In anticipation OF the 40 per
cent. duty, and in part, and principal
i ly, to the great fall IN the foreign price
4 of raw sugars.
The yaIne of wool. which was put on
! the free List, increased from SO, 1o7, 43s
to $25, $50, ,421, and the value of wooIen
/ goods, the duties on which were re-
duced about one-ha1f, increased from
i $1e, ,so1, $50 to sac, ,542, ,39i. But the in
crease ia these articles, as in the. case
OF others the duties on which were
considerably reduced, was in no small
measure due TO restriction Of i'm
ports In 1894 in anticipation OF lower
4 duties.
On the whole the returns indicata
| that the reduction OF the tariff has
stimulated importations. but It is toe
early yet TO make very confident do.
ductions. Chicago Chronicle.