The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-19
Figures from the Treasury Bureau OF
Trade Is on Our Side.
CLEWS'S FINANCIAL REVIEW
AN OPTIMISTIC VIEW OF THE SIT
UATION IN GENERAL.
Reasons Given by the New York
Banker for Predicting a Boom in
Securities and Enterprises.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.

Special to the indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1S.-Exports from
the United States in the calendar year 1898
will exceed those of any earlier year. Only
twice in our history have the exports in
calendar year passed the billion-dollar line;
in 1898 they will be a billion and a quarter
During the eleven months of 1898 ending
with November they are greater than in any
full calendar year preceding, the total for
the eleven months being 81, III, ,6S1 199, and it
is apparent that the December statement
will bring the grand total for the year
above 81, $50, 100000. The November, 1898, ex-
ports were $129, 512, and as those of De-
cember are almost invariably larger than
those of November, it seems not unreason-
able to believe that they will be sufficient to
bring the grand total for the year past the
billion-and-a-quarter line. Certainly the
record for the year will by far surpass that
of any preceding calendar year. The fig
ures of the treasury Bureau of Statistics
show that the November exports are not
only the largest in November, but the larg
est in any month in the history of our COM
merce; while, as already indicated, those of
the eleven months ending with November
are larger than those of any full calendar
year prior to 1898. OF breadstuffs the ex-
ports for the eleven months ending with
November, 1898, are the largest in our his
tory, being $277 ,S41, against 1928 211 617 in
the great exporting year of 1892; provisions
are for the eleven months, $14S All, $50,
against SIPS, ,297, ,O07 in the eleven months of
1892. Cotton for the eleven months amounts
to $192, ,323, ,391.
The import record for the year 1898 will be
as remarkable as that relating to it's ex-
ports, but for opposite reasons, the total
imports for the year being less than those
of any calendar year since 1885. For the
month of November they were but $52 $780,
which was slightly less than those Of No
vember, 1897 and less with three exceptions
than those of any November since 1885. For
the eleven months ending with November
they were but $579 s44 153. while those of the
corresponding months of 1897 were $691,-
0S9. .266, and those of the eleven months of
1896, $622 sos, S96. 1t is thus apparent that the
imports for the full calendar year 1898 will
not exceed $640 0O0,O00 sum less than that
of any calendar year since 1885, and fully a
hundred million less than that of the cal
endar year 1897. With the largest exports in
our history and the smallest imports in
many years, the year 1898 win naturally
show the largest balance of trade in our fa-
vor ever presented in any calendar year. The
figures for the eleven months show an ex-
cess of exports over imports amounting to
$685., ,S97 ,046, and it is quite apparent that the
December figures will bring the total ex-
cess of exports for the calendar year above
the hundred -milion-dollar line making
an average excess Of exports for the year of
more than $50,00OO00 a month, while the
highest excess of exports in any preceding
calendar year was $751; O90,914 in 1897 and
$324, 1853, ,6S5 in 1896.
With the largest exports Of merchandise
in our history and smallest imports in many
years comes the largest importation Of gold
in any calendar year. The gold imports for
the eleven months ending with November
are, in round terms, 100000, the accurate
figures being $149 $50, while no full call
endar year save 1896 ever reached the hum
dred-million-dollar line, and in that year the
total for the twelve months was but $104,-
731, ,259, against $149, ,396, $40 for the eleven
months of 1885, The effect of this large inn
portation of gold in conjunction with the in
creased production from our own mines, is
plainly visible in the Increased circulation
of that metal. The gold in circulation on
Dec. /, 1898, was $65S 513 against $544,-
494.74S on Dec 1, 1897; $516, ,729, $50 on Dec. 1,
1896, and 1885, 12S 4SS on July /, 1896. The total
circulation on Dec. l, 1898, was s., 1885, $40, ,504
against $1,721 ,53S Dec. l, 1897; 1885,
22S, 400 on Dec. /, 1896, and 81, 500, ,725 200 on
July l, 1896.
The following tables show the imports and
exports of merchandise and gold in each
calendar year since 1884, and eleven months
of 1898: