The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1897-07-26
Interesting Document Bearing on The
Annexation Discussion.
COMPARISON OF STATISTICS
Our Trade with the Island Went $780,
e24,3O6 in 1896.
THE DEFICIENCY LIES IN our SALES
Prior TO the First Reciprocity Treaty
in 1876 the Total Hawaiian Com
morce Averaged 81 5000

washington, July 1S.--Hawaiian COM
r,erce during the last ten years is the
subject of n circular just issued by the
department of agriculture.
Tho paper was prepared by F. II. Hltch-
cock. chief of the division of foreign mar
kets. under the direction Of Secretary VIII
son.
The facts set forth hear directly upon
the current discussion Of the annexation
of the Hawaiian Islands to the Uhlteu
States, and are as follows:
"The comparison of statistics shows that
the United States controls 80 per cent OF
tho entire trade Of the islands The total
,.al,,o of exports ana imports of Hawaii
for 1896 wae $21. 57S. So. Of which about TWO
thirds sl5.5l5 go. was the value of soods
evrortcd The average Of exports OF the
ton wears. 1887 TO 1896. WAS &l,092lil' ana OF
imports $5422459. leaving an average pdi-
arce of $5.G29.6Sl IN favor of exports.
"Of this traffic 9l.2O per cent was Wl1h t'ie
United states during the first 1--WE years OF
mo decade ana tho second FIVE years the
lead of this country over other countries
was increased to 9lg2 per cent. Another I'M
rression Of the situation may be Ealheu
from tho statement that our trade VII"
the island in 1896, according TO IiaW@Iidh
statistics. reached $A,S2iSJ6, the larsest
amount ever recorded while tho highest
figures previously We're for 1870 Wiieh d
total of $lS.3S2, 63l was reported
"The United states. however does ho'
vet hold so high a position in furnishing
goods for Hawaii as ia taking the prooucts
OF the islands OF the aVeraee oI eNpolts
for the ten years, nearly $iLNV''Vv EcS ,,
fine United States nus bought ptdctlcsllS
an Only one-half of 1 per cent mas beeil
sold to other countries. OF the goods puF-
chased by Hawaii on the other mana, tho
United States furnishes only about thrce-
fourths.
Our Sales Are Growing.
'TIowever. it is chiefly IN our sales to the
island that the trade IS growing. Tine an
nual average OF these sales for tho five
Years 1887 10 1891. was $L3763l2, bat for
1891 10 1886. S449G.275. while the exports TO
Hawaii for last year amounted TO S5,4ol2lS.
nearly a million dollars moro than for any
previous year. The goods coming from
Hawaii to the United States are mainly
agricultural products. while the shipments
H. other directions. except hreacstuus, are
chiefly manufactures our imports of SUI
t4r make the larE ST Item IN tho trade,
Whllc our imports of rice come next Next
I'm order are our exports of breadStults. cot
ton goods. fertilizers, machinery. lumber,
tobacco. Wire and chemicals. To Is noucea-
bile that shipments of American live stock.
meats. apples and corn amount 10 very
little.
tc1ty was made between the United states
aui Hav-aff their total commerce averaged
only Sl"5N.4gG since tho uate q compare
lively steady growth has brought the total
10 more than five times th3t amount. Fig
lrcs are furuis he'd for the first ton months
of the fiscal year. 1880. as compared with
tho same period jpn 1856 They show large iu-
crease in the Important items of trade. The
other countries whose trade with Hawaii
appears to Dee growing are China and Ja-
pan. taken together, and Canada.