The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-11-18
EXPORTS STEADILY INCREASE
TREASURY BUREAUS INTER
ESTING STATISTICS.
Year Just Ended Makes the Lowest
Record of Imports, With a
Single Exception, Since
the Year 1879.
Special Dispatch to The Cali.
Call Office, Riggs House.

NdAl OI1lce, IllSSo IAOuoCS
Washington, Nov. H.
The tide of international commerce
turned in favor of the United States in
the centennial year, 1876. Prior to
that date the balance of trade against
us had been beginning with 1880 ST.
236, 405 $40. Since that date the balance
of trade in our favor has been $3,091,-
440,952. In the eighty-seven years ope-
ration of the Government prior to that
date it witnessed but sixteen occasions
in which the annual balance Of trade
was in it's favor; in the twenty-th three
years since that time it has witnessed
but three occasions in which the an
nual balance of trade has been against
it. In the eighty-seven years prior to
1876 the exports amounted to $780,
653, 1884, an average of S141, 900, 900 per
annum, while the imports amounted to
S14, $40, 994 600, an average of $167 900, 900
per annum. In the twenty-three years
since 1876 the exports amounted to
SIS, &C.,, 344, AS. an average of SS11, 000,0 900
per annum, and the imports amounted
to $15,570, 900, 493, an average of $677, O00,-
600 per annum. 1t will thus be seen
that in the twenty-three years since
1875 our exports ha~o actually been
more than so per cent in excess of those
of the entire eighty-seven years prior
to 1876, and that the average annual
expectation since 1876 has been nearly
six times as much as the average an
nual expectation prior to that time.
A recent publication by the Treasury
Bureau of Statistics, entitled Imports
and Exports of the United States, and
Receipts and Expenditures of the
United States Government" presents
the figures of our imports and exports
running back to 1885, and the receipts
and expenditures running back to 1856;
and by experimenting these with ear
lier official data, the full record of the
ITO years of our commerce may thus
be had. Prior to 1885 there were but
three occasions in which the annual ex-
ports reached 500, 100000 and but nine
occasions in which the imports
reached that sum, SO that the years
covered by the publication in question
comprise the most important neriod OF
our commercial history, presenting, as
it does, the figures by years from 1885
down to and including 1898, and by
months from January, 1884, to August,
1898.
A detailed study of these figures pre-
sents some extremely interesting facts
regarding our commerce with other
parts of the world. Prior to 1884 the
exports never reached $100,000,000 an
nually, save in the exceptional years
of 1906 and 1907, while after the year
900, 900 line, save in the exceptional year
1912. By 1853 they reached the 5000,
000, 900 line; by 1860 the $500, 900, 900 line;
by 1870 the $500 600, 900 line; in 1873 they
passed the. $500, 600 900 line; in 1878 they
exceeded $500, 000, 900; in 1879 the were
more than $500, 0oO, 600: in 1880 more than
$500, 000, 900; in 1881, for the first time
the 5000, 900, 900 was reached; in 1892 the
billion dollar line was for the first time
crossed, and in 1898 the figures were
81 .231 4S2, $3.50. Thus the exports of 1898
are practically double those of 1887,
four times those of 1873, and almost ten
times as much as those of 1S4S, in which
year they were $138, 190,515.
The growth of imports, while neces
sarily great by reason Of increased pop
ulation, has not kept pace with that Of
exports, especially in the last quarter
Of a century The 500, 900, 900 line in
the import trade was passed as early
as 1901, and again in 1905, 1906 and 1907,
and at intervals until 1874 when the
total of $102, 604, SOC was followed by a
rapid growth, the 5000 000,0 900 line being
passed in 1851, the $500, 100000 line in
1856, the $4OO 900, 900 line in 1866. the
$500, 900, 900 line in 1871, while 1872 ex-
ceeded $500, 900 600, 1882 exceeded $780,
900, 900 and 1891 passed the $S00,000,000
line, the high water mark of imports
being reached In 1898, Wnen the HSuFeS
were 1856, 400, 1922 while the year just
ended. 1898, makes a tower record Of
imports than any year with single ex-
ception since 1879.
The figures covering the receipts and
expenditures are equally interesting.
Prior to 1900 the total net ordinary re-
ceipts of the Government never reached
as much as s10,OO0,000 practically the
entire sum then being collected from
customs They ranged steadily up
ward from that time until by 1926 they
had passed the $25, 1000, 900 line. b., 1851
the $50, 900 900 line, by 1857 the $75,000,-
600 line, and in 1863, for the first time,
passed the 100000 900 mark, increasing
rapidly by reason of the necessary col
lection Of war revenues, until in 1866
they were s519, 949, 564, dropping again
below the $500, 900 line after the war,
but ranging from $300,000000 upward
since $780, the average receipts aside
from war revenue) at present being
1866, 900, 900 per annum, or million dol
lars a day, while the average expendi
lures (omitting war items) are about
the same.