The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-02-17
Half Our Imports Agri-
cultural Products.
Interesting Interview With
Secretary Morton.
Senator Chambers Memory - Gen.
eral Miles end His Friends.


rotary Morton, the retiring chief of the
agricultural department, has had many
hobbies, but none more valuable TO the
country than his efforts to promote foreign
demand for the produce of American farms.
In conversation today Secretary Nor.
ton called my attention To remarkable
fact, one which caused me much surprise,
and which, l doubt not, will surprise most
readers of this dispatch. "Just about one.
half of all tho imports to this country, "
said Secretary Morton. "are agricultural
products. This may appear incredible, but
1t is true. Taking all the agricultural i'm.
ports, including articles not grown on
American farms, the percentage of all
our agricultural imports in 1892 was
81, or little moro than ne-half; in 1893
II was As; in 1894, nearly 90; in 1895, 90,
and in 1896, 40"
Sugar, Coffee and Wool.
"You do not mean to say that one hall
Of all the imports of the grcGest argicul
tural country in the world are agricultural
productsY"
THAT is just what do say OF course
q largo part Of these importations is rep
resented by such articles as tea and coffee,
which we do not produce, but they are
agricultural products just the same. Lei
me give you some interesting figures. Ou
total imports in 1896 were IN round mum
bors $3.50, 600, 600. More than s3s2, 900, ,0Ot
of these were agricultural products, or So sc
for every man, woman and child in the
United States The largest item was sug
ar, s90, 900, 900, and sugar Is farm prod
uct in our country The next largest item
was coffee SS5, 900, 900. Next In order was
wool, to the amount of $32 500, 600
The fourth is hides and skins, which reach
the enoromus total Of $50, 600, 000 Fifth
Is silk, with $27, 100000. Sixth came
fruits and nuts, $4,000, 900; seventh, to
bacco, $40, 800, 600; eighth, tea, $l3, 000,
600. These are the large items, comprising
more than $500, 900, 900. 1t will be noticed
that only Sl25, 900, 900 Of this total is repre-
sented by articles which American farmer.
do not produce. Z"
what was the remaining seventy odd
millions composed of?''
WELL you will be surprised at some OF
the items. Cattle, live, 81, ,509, 900; horses,
5000, 900; sheep, $3.50, 600; bristles, 81, ,435,
600; cheese, $l,49l 900; feathers and
down, 50, 3s6, 900; glue, $3.50, ,000 grease
e1,344, 200; hair, $l,244,000 meat prod
ucts, 81 ,052 900; sausages and sausage
skins 5000, 600; In all, animals and theii
products, $40, 900, 900. Why, we imported
nearly So, 600, 900 Of brcadstuffs, including
$4,000 In barley, 81, 1886, 900 in wheat
and 81, 050, 600 of macaroni and other food
preparations of wheat.
"But this Is not ALL" continued Secre
tary Morton. 1--WE imported last year %,
5000 worth of cotton and nearly s12,
~ 1a s.,t, l.. -.
grass and other flbers. Think of this coun
try importing nearly s3, 100000 worth o.
hay In single year and over 80, 000,0 00t
worth OF vegetable oils, 81, lS5, 900 worth
of plants, trees, shrubs and vines, nearly
~, 900, 600 worth Of seeds, S3l 600 worth o.
straw and So, 500, 900 worth Of vegetables
With proper development and variation o.
our agricultural industry" concluded tho
secretary. 'wc ought to cut off a large par,
of this Importation and supply the market
with home grown products.
A Good Memory.
Senator Chandler Of New Hampshire 4,
snid by his colleagues to have the bes,
memory of all the members of the upper
house. When he feels inclined to do so,
Mr.. Chandler can repeat almost word fol
word any speech which he may have bear
on the floor Of the senate. He has q re
faculty for this sort OF thing
and on tests has been known TO reproducs
from memory "a short speech made by some
other senator almost verbatim. Newspaper
have endcavored TO utilize
the New Hampshire senator's extraordi
nary memory by getting him to tell them
what was said In executive session, but
Mr.. Chandler invariably declines 81 ad
NIT am n newspaper editor, he says
'but / am not correspondent" Mr.
Chandler owns n paper in bis state, fol
which he writes when he gets time.
There has been good deal of gossip her
about the efforts Of certain friends OF Gen
sral Miles TO raise funds with which to
present him with house in Washington
Senator Allen of Nebraska introduced
calling on the war department
or information as to what law there is or
he subject Of army officers receiving gifts.
There IL no such law. Generals Grant,
sherman and Sheridan received gifts OF
homes from their admirers, and General
Grant was the recipient Of two such pres
'nts.
Specimens Of English.
Some fearful specimens of English find
heir way into public documents, but prob
Ibly nothing worse than the following was
ver porpetratcd: The other day Senator
iill introduced bill, the title Of which
cad, "Abill toauthorize the public build
nR in the city of Buffalo to be built an ad
litional story" and in the body of the bill
{ Is rccited "that the public building now
,cing erected I'm the city Of Buffalo may bs
rcctcd on additional story"
One OF the interesting subjects sure tc |
One up for consideration early In the Nc |
iinlcy administration is that OF Hawaiian
Tho Americans in Hawaii are |
ctcrmlnod 10 press thc matter with MI |
heir force, and they have strong hopes ol |
ucccss. Most Of the 800 Americans IN |
hawaii are well TO do, prospcring greatly |
With their sugar plantations and CONNER |
ial housts. But II they can have the is |
ards annexed To the United States they |
cckon that the value OF all their property |
iii bc doubled because OF the guarantee. |
his will give future peace and order |
here arc two factions I'm congress on the /
question, and 10 Is difficult Il /
ny which IL the larger
Lilluokalani, the cx-quecn OF Hawaii, /
ms lccn In Washin 9ton several weeks. She