The record-union., 1898-09-21
GROWTH OF OUR EXPORT TRADE

The official figures from the Bureau
of Statistics at Washington give Amer
leans reason to be proud Of the expan-
sion Of our export trade, and greatly
crafty Republicans who have stood
for the policy of the Administration
under which the growth has been
greatest, and which originated that pol
icy.
For instance, the exports Of our mer-
chandise and production for the year
1898, ending June Both, amounted to
81, 231, 4S2, 1856. The only year in the
history of the nation that anywhere
nearly approached this sum was 1897,
when our exports amounted to 81, 03O,-
27S,O0O.
In 1880 our exports were $3.50, 63S, :
65S. In 1896 our expectation to Europe
alone amounted to SITS, 100, 1862; in 1897
to SS5S, 049, so, and for the first seven
months of 1898 they were $40, AL, 506,
for the corresponding period in 1897
having been $425,OS7, OO0 Our importa-
tons have kept we'll down meanwhile,
the increase where observable being no
more than correspondent with the
growth of the country. Thus in 1896
556; in '97 $742, $50 229, and for the
first seven months of '9S $512, 800, 1853.
Our trade has broadened along nearly
all lines with important countries, as,
for instance, as shown above, in the
case Of expectation to Europe. But the
nearer home showing is as gratifying,
for in the first seven months of 1896
we exported to Mexico values amount
ing to So, 151, $50; in '97, for the same
period, 1898, 900, and for the CORE
spending period in this year S13, 1858, 900.
For the first seven months in each
year-that period being taken for COM
parison with the reports of this year to
this date-we sent to the West Indies in
1896 values amounting to 1885, oil;
in '97 S14, 773, 900, and in 1898, with the
United States at war with the greater
islands of that part of the world, we
nevertheless exported merchandise and
produce to the value of S14, 1915. 900. To
British North America we exported for
the first seven months of 1896 merchan-
disc to the value of S34, 1884, 600; in 81
$3S, 154, 900, and in '9S $50. 325, 752.
But we have sold more goods to
Asiatic nations also. In 1888 our ex-
ports to Africa amounted to but Sc, 000,-
900, but for the fiscal year ending June
30, 1898, they were ST., 100000 In 1888
Japan bought of our goods to the value
she bought of us merchandise of the
value Of $21, 100000. Ten years ago the
purchases China made of us amounted
to but S4,500,0O0; in the last seven
months we have exported for her con-
sumption goods to the value of over &C..
$4,000.
To France in 1888 we exported S40,-
100000, but in the last fiscal year the
exports to France amounted to $780,
100000. In 1888 we sent to Germany
56,5O0,O00 Of our products and mer-
chandise, but in the last fiscal year the
value exported was S150,OOOOOO. In
1888 our exports to Great Britain
amounted to S362,0O0,0OO, but for the
first seven months Of 1898, just ten
years after, our exports to Great Brit
ain amount to S54OO00,OOO.
But the Democratic press, which has
opposed our revenue tariff system, has
pointed out that last year and this, the
exports were very large because of the
unprecedented shipment of breadstuffs,
owing to the shortage of crops on the
other side of the Atlantic The answer
to that is found in the percentage of
breadstuffs shipments. Thus. in the
fiscal year ending the Both of June last
the breadstuffs exports amounted to II
per cent. Of the whole, while in 1894
the percentage of the same goods-ag-
ricultural products-amounted to -; in
1893 IA per cent in 1892 rs per cent,
in 1891 81 per cent, and in 1890 over
50 per cent. of the whole output. Dur
ing the Administration preceding the
present one we sent gold out of the
country to pay for goods bought
abroad, but in the last fiscal year the
current reversed and gold came our
way by an excess over expectations in
the sum of S104. 9S5 279