Omaha daily bee., 1898-06-01
A MANUFACTURING NATION.
strides of the United States Tounrd
Industrial Supremacy.

AAHNHN H1AA
Reports OF the Bureau Of Statistics "A
1 Washington for nine months show that the
exports OF domestic manufacturers from tina
United states Will be greater in the hscsl
year. 1898. than in any preceding year in the
history Of the nation. Further than this. our
imports Of manufactures have at the same
time greatly decreased. At the same time.
Great Britain. our only great manufacturing
rival, complains OF n change exactly oppo.
site to this. The exports OF the United
Kingdom have fallen of. while its imports
have increased. In other words. our nation
is rapidly assuming the manufacturing SUI
premacy OF the world. The chief source Of
Eugiand's commercial power is falling into
the hands OF the United States.
During the nine months our manufactured
exports have gone on increasing at the rate
OF 81. 600, 900 a month. while at the a
time our Manufactured imports nave been
falling of at the rate Of over $4,000, 900 "A
| month. These statements apply primarily
10 our commercial relations with Great
| Britain. The records show a decrease OF
over 20 per cent ia our purchases of manu-
featured articles from the United Kingdom,
as compared with the preceding fiscal year.
At the same time the British have increased
their purchases from us by nearly 10 per
cent. The United States. has not only be-
| come a great self-suiBcicnt manufacturing
nation, but 1t is rapidly invading the pre-
cincts OF its greatest rival.
Among the most important of the lines
in which the British manufacturers have
lost ground in the American trade arc
WOODEN and cotton textiles. tinplatc, earth
enware and certain grades of sugar. Among
the lines in which the American manu-
facturers have gained ground in their Brit
ish trade are those of boots and shoes,
leather, typewriting machines. scientific in
struments, clocks and watches, cars, oil
cake, cottonseed oil, oleomargarine, lard,
cheese and -four. In round numbers our
exports to that country increased during
these nine months from S3SS, 600, 600 to
s414. 600, 900, while our imports from it fell
from s103. 600, 900 TO SS4, 900, 600.
The Immediate result of this happy state
of things has been an immense influx of
gold and of exchange credits as this nations
profits in the balance of trade. The enor-
nous exports of wheat and breadstuffs of
all kinds have added so markedly to this
result that the exchange balance has served
in large part to pay for the war ships and
ammunition recently bought by this gov
eminent in Europe. To this remarkable
balance in our favor must be ascribed in
part the entire absence of anything like
a war scare in financial circles during the
trying period preceding the outbreak OF
} hositilities with Spain.
But the ultimate significance of the fore
| going figures is even more important. This
great increase in our manufactured exports.
coupled with a corresponding decrease in our
manufactured imports, means that the
United States is henceforth to play the
most lucrative role that can fall to the lot
OF any nation-the role of manufacturer in
general to the world at large. From the
beginning of American settlement it was
Great Britain's purpose to cast America in
the role of an agricultural nation. We
were to play farmer to it's star role of
manufacturer. We were to be content with
the smaller profits tina, go with an cx-
elusive devotion to raw materials, while
1t was to reap the fortunes that skilled
labor and exclusive trade can bring But
the American people did not see 1t that
way, They entered their protest on a couple
! or noteworthy occasions to be found re.
corded in history, and they have kent on
protesting in an industrial way ever since,
until at last they have carried their
point.
Inc United States has become the greatest
manufacturing nation in the world and il
must henceforth look beyond it's own shores
Tor markets in which to sell it's surplus
products, Not least among the benefits of
the present war is the fact that it has begun
10 accustom our nation to this larger scope
OF vision which it must have before it can
1ullh It's commercial destiny.