The Yale expositor., 1897-11-05
Gratifying Outlook.


Special Washington cor sspOndencs;
There appears to be no check to cur
exports OF American manufactures under
the new tariff law. The treasury figures
for August, the first full month under the
new law, show the largest exports Of do
nestle merchandise of any August in the
history Of the country. They were &c.
O,264, as against $G6,6S9,931 for Au-
gust Of last year, and this in the face OF
the contention Of the free traders that the
expectation of American manufactures
was greatly facilitated by low tariff. For
the first eight months of the year 1897
the exports were over SCI 600, 900 in ex-
cess of those of the first eight months Of
1896, so that the treasury officials are pre-
dieting that the exports of this year will
far exceed those of last year. which itself
was record breaker in the matter OF ex-
ports. Our first months trade under the
present tariff with Europe gave a balance
Of upwards Of $40,000,0O0 in our favor.
The following table shows the balance Of
trade with the several continents:
Exports TO. Imports from.
Europe ........ $50,000,0 600 $20,0O0,000
North America. 100000 100000
South America. 100000 G,5OO,000
Asiatic ...... 100000 100000
Oceanica ..... 100000 100000
Africa ........ 100000 100000
The present indications are that ex-
ports of this character will amount to
nearly $500, 100000 for 1897, as against
little over $250,00O,000 for 1896 and
$200,000,000 for 1895. Although to this
time the exports of manufactured articles
have held up wonderfully, it is thought
bar Nv a1p OH Ely.ly
that this expectation will fall off to some
extent in view of the fact that American
manufacturers are running overtime to
supply goods for the American market.
The Argentine Case.
Considerable more comment has been
caused over the report Of the Argentine re-
taliation against our tariff than the case
warrants or than the reports received here
would indicate. 1t is stated that Ar
gentina intends to impose extraordinarily
high duties on all goods exported from the
United States to that country. This ac-
ton would emanate from a desire 10 re-
taliate for the duties placed on hides and
woo,s by the Dng.ey law. But it is easily
shown that the people and merchants OF
Argentine would lose more by the opera
ton than they would gain or even cause
this country TO lose. Despite the com
plants from Argentine, our first months
business with South America under the
Dingley law resulted in n balance Of trade
in their favor Of over S4000,000 or about
S5O,OOO,OO0 a year, and our trade during
the past year has been about three to one
in favor OF Argentina. Our trade with
South America has been APPLY said to be
very much ike a jug handle-all on one
side. The official figures of our dealings
with the principal South American cOun-
tries for the fiscal year ending June 80,
1897, shows that we imported from them
about S101 100000 worth Of their pro-
ducts, admitting over 9S per cent of that
entirely free Of duty, and that they bought
from us only about 100000 worth OF
our products and imposed duties on near
ly all Of it, and in some cases extremely
high duties. The President of the Argen-
tine Republic has recommended retalia-
ton against this country for curtailing
privileges heretofore accorded that coun-
try, in common with other countries, far
greater than any privileges we have en-
joyed from them, but il is not probable
that the Argentine Congress will take de-
cisive steps when the true relations of the
two countries are shown by the discussion
which VIII ensue in that body.
Secretary Wilson has arranged with the
POstofIce Department to allow farmers to
use Government franks for sending their
samples Of sugar beets to the department
and to the experiment stations for analy-
sis. This relieves the farmer Of any ex-
pense in the matter and will enable him
to determine whether his soil is adapted
to the growth of the sugar beet.
There is no department Of the admin
istrat ion more popular or doing better
work than that Of Secretary Wilson. He
has been making interesting experiments
with reference to good roads; he has been
working to get in an increased and profit
able market abroad for our butter: he is
working upon the introduction of foreign
seed likely to be beneficial to our farmers;
he is doing good work looking to the pres
ervation Of our American forests and a
hundred other things which the Agricul-
turnl Department can do for the benefit
of the farmer Of the present day and the
benefit of which his children will reap in
years TO come.
GEORGE MELVILLE.