The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-06-18

RSgp" qlt Is are some off the
things shown in its
pages:
The March inportations of wool in 1897
were 5S,OS5,339 pounds. against 17,7S1,-
o4i pounds in March, 1896, and against
only 3,4Ss,415 pounds in the last March
Of the Mckinley law. The importations
Of rags, noils, ETC., in March, 1897, was
0, 466, 461 pounds. against 1904 pounds in
the last March of the Mckinley law.
These quantities of free wool and shoddy
now in stock here are not particularly
cheering to the growers of good American
wool, for it Will be some months before
they can be absorbed by the country and
a place made for the home product. The
number Of cattle imported in March, 1897,
under the Wilson law was $500, while
IN March, 1894, under the Mckinley law
the number imported was 81. The num-
Der Of pounds of hides imported in March,
1897, in view of the prospective duty on
hides, was two and half times as much
as in March of the last year of the Nc
hlnley law, amounting TO nearly three
million dollars in value. The hay import
ed in March, 1895, 1896 and 1897, under
the Wilson law was over 10000 tons,
averaging about three times as much AZ
was imported in the last March of the
Mckinley law. The world, according to
this official report, is being raked over to
Ind wool to be brought to this country
before the new tariff law goes into effect
The importations of wool during March,
1897, came from Austria-Hungary, Bel
GUM, Denmark, France, Germany. Italy,
Portugal, Roumania, Baltic Russia,
Spain, England, Scotland. Ireland, Nova
Scotia, the Black Sea ports, Dutch West
Indies, Argentine. Brazil, Chill, Peru,
Uruguay, Venezuela, China, British East
Indies. Asiatic Russia, Turkey in Asia,
British Australia, British Africa, Egypt.
This is pretty fair showing.
Among other things this summary pre-
sents table of especial interest to agri-
culturists- 1t shows the monthly average
prices Of the principal articles of merchan-
disc imported and exported during the
past year. Extracts from the table are
given below, the exports representing
their market value at the date of expor-
ta<,On. while the imported articles repre-
sent their values in foreign markets This
latter fact should be born in mind con-
stantly in examining the comparative fg-
ures as the prices of imported articles ap-
pear low, until it is remembered that the
values given relate to the prices in foreign
markets, and do not include the amounts
added, for freight, tariff. handling and
dealers profits, before they reach the
consumer in this country.
Comparative Tables.
Table showing average values of con-
modities of farm export in April, 1896,
and in March, 1897:
April. 1896. April, 1897.
wheat y Reat -four, per Dbl. $50. Sc sl 81
Picked pork. per h. SO cents cents 81 cents cents
Cheese, per ID. $500. 80 cents 1915 cents
Leaf tobacco. ....7.4 cents 10 cents
Table showing average prices in for
eign markets of commodities which farm
ers consume, in April, 1896, and March,
1897:
ca april 1896 April dl. 1891.
Coffee .....143 lip
Cotton cloth. PEI yd91 SO
Picked behring's, Ib. 80 rs
Mackerel. per h. ..--7.2 g.
Beet sugar "a Ii
Dress goods per I'd .s0.7 rs
1t will be seen from the above that the
selling price of practically everything
which the farmer has had to put upon the
market has increased during the year and
that the buying price of things which he
consumes has decreased.
The State Department is in receipt Of
from the United States
consul at Odessa, Russia, to the effect
that large quantities of Russian wool Of
inferior quality are being shipped to this
country and the manufacturers of the
country are cautioned accordingly.
The proposed duty on the quantity Of
rawhide which would be used in the man
ufacture of a pair of shoes is estimated at
about cents. Only about one-ffth, how
ever. of the hides used in this country are
so that the increased cost Of
,air of shoes by reason of the duty would
probably not be more than one or two
tents. The average man probably uses
about three pairs of shoes per year. Does
ANYBODY particularly object to paying
rom three TO six cents toward the sup
,ort of the Government in its present
especially in view of the great
advantage accruing to the farmer:
One Reason Gold Is Exported.
II is but reasonable, with the importa-
ions of foreign goods increasing SO enor-
nously In anticipation of the repeal of
he Wilson low tariff rates and the en-
,ctment of protective tariff. that gold
.xports have increased. The foreign
FOODS brought into the country must be
aid for in gold, and if such importations
Increase from ten 10 twenty millions a
month. it goes without saying that gold
Exports must increase somewhat Sew
raj other reasons, notably the desire for
of gold in Europe By rea-
on of war possibilities, show that there
5 nothing alarming in the exports Of that
METAL, and no cause for the note OF alarm
,eing sounded by the silver advocates.
The quantity of gold money in 1873 was
4 POS. 500. 900, while in 1896 it was So
;9S. roc. 600. being in 1896 80 per cent
.reater than the gold and silver money
oinbined in 1873
Secretary Wilson's latest move is in
making practical investigation to deter
nine sections of the country most adapt
d to the production of the best quality
f beet sugar.
GEORGE NELvILL4E