The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-11-10
THE TIDE NOW
IN OUR FAVOR.
Has Only Been So Sixteen Times in
Eighty-Seven Years.
OVER so PER CENT. SINCE 1875.
The Growth of Imports, While Large
Has Not Kept Pace With That Of
Our Exports-Some Very Inter-
esting Figures Given.
OVER so PER CENT. SINCE 1875.

tide Of international commerce turned an
ffvor OF the United States In the centen-
NAL year 1876. Prior TO that date the bal
ance Of trade against us had been (begin-
ming with 1881, S2.235. 405 $40. Since that
date the balance of trade in our favor has
been 1901. 1852
In the eighty-seven years operation OF
the government prior to that date. 1t wit
messed but sixteen occasions in which the
annual balance Of trade was In It's favor,
in the twenty-three years since that time
It has witnessed but three occasions In
which the annual balance Of trade has
been against It.
In the eighty-seven years prior to 1876
the exports amounted TO Sl2.309, 653,3s4 an
average of Slil 000.o 600 per annum while
tho imports amounted to Sl4.546, s94, an
average OF Sl67 10000 per annum. In the
twenty-three years since 1876 the exports
amounted to sls,662 Sf4.445. an average of
ssh. 10000 per annum. and the imports
amounted to $3.50, 903. f93 an average OF
s677OOO,oOO per annum.
A HEAVY INCREASE.
It will thus be seen that in the twenty
three years since 1879 our exports have
actually been more than 80 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
annual expectation prior to that time.
A recent publication by the Treasury
Bureau Of Statistics, entitled Imports
and Exports Of the United States. and Re-
ceipts and Expenditures Of the United
States Government" presents the figures
OF our imports and exports running back
IA
running back to 1856; and by supplement-
ing these with earlier official data, the
full record Of the 10 years OF our com
merce may thus be had. Prior to 1895
there were but three occasions in which
the annual exports reached 500 100000. and
but nine occasions In which the imports
reached that sum. so that the years COW
cred by the publication in question COM
prise the most important period of our
commercial history presenting. as it
does. the figures by years from 1895 down
TO and including 1885, and by months from
January. 1851. to August. 1893.
INTERESTING FIGURES.
A detailed study OF these figures pre-
sents some extremely interesting facts
regarding our commerce with other parts
of the world. Prior 10 1884 the exports
never reached 800 100000 annually, save In
the exceptional years Of 1906 and 1907.
while after the year 1894 they never fell
below the 100000 line save in the ex-
ceptional year 1s-. BY 1853 they reached
the 500 900. 600 line by 1860 the $500 900 900
line; by 1870 the Si0O.C0O0o0 line: I'm 1873,
they passed the SjO0.O00O0O line: in 1878,
they exceeded S60o.O0000: in 1879, they
were more than 500. 900 O0O in 1880 more
than $500 900 600: I'm ISL for the first time
the S900.000000 figure was reached; in 1892.
the billion dollar line was for the first
time crossed, and I'm 1898. the figures were
81. 231. 1890. Thus the exports OF 1898 are
practically double those of 1879 four times
those Of 1868. and almost ten times as
much as those of 1873, in which year they
were $l3S,19O5l5.
EXPORTS THE LARGEST
The growth OF imports. while necessari-
ly great by reason Of increased pOpula-
ton. has not kept pace with that OF ex-
ports. especially i'm the last quarter of
century. The Sl0D000C00 line in the import
trade was passed as early as 1901, and
again I'm 1905. 1906 and 1907. and at inter-
walls until 1874. when the total Of 1902 co.,.
COG was followed by a rapid growth, the
500 100000 line being passed in 1851, the
$500 100000 line in 1856 the 900 line
In 1866. the SjO0.O0OO0O line I'm 1871 while
lS72 exceeded $500, O1.OOO 1889 exceeded
500 100000 and 1891 passed the $50. 100000
line, the high water mark OF imports be-
Ing reached in 1898. when the figures were
ss56 lO0.922 while the year just ended. 1898,
makes a lower record of imports than
any year with a single exception since
1879.
A STEADY INCREASE.
The figures covering the receipts and
expenditures are equally interesting. Prior
to 1900 the total net ordinary receipts Of
the government never reached as much as
$1,000 900. practically the entire sum then
being collected from customs They rang
ed steadily upward from that time until
by 1926 they had passed the S2j.00O,oO0 line,
by 1851 the sj0O000oO line. by 1851 the S15
100000 line. and I'm 1863 for the first time
passed the S10O.O0O000 mark. increasing
rapidly by reason OF the necessary coll
lection of war revenues. until i'm 1876 they
were SJl99 $40 564. dropping again below the
$500. 900 line after the war. but ranging
from 100000 900 upward since 1850. the av-
erage receipts aside from war revenue)
at present being 1855, 100 per annum. or
a million dollars a day. while the average
expenditures (omitting war items) are
about the same.
While Il IS impracticable in a newspaper
publication to present the entire figures
covering the 10 years in question, con-
densed picture Of the commerce and the
government operations during those years
may be had by grouping the 10 years into
decennial periods.