The record-union., 1898-02-21
INTERESTING FIGURES.


other nations, he finds a vast amount
of intensely interesting matter, and
deal of superior and most valuable in
formation.
Let us see what, in but a few in
stances, can be gathered by a rapid
glance through only a few pages. Our
exports in 1885 of all kinds of merchan
disc amounted to only S115, ,S02, the
imports exceeding that figure by ST.
54S, 1853 But in 1857 our exports
amounted to the value of s., 050, 993, 556,
exceeding our imports by syst, 263, LA.
This, be it noted. is the largest excess
Of exports over imports in the history
of the country by nearly $30,O000oo.
Another interesting fact is CLEANED
from the tables officially issued, namely.
that until the year 1897 and the CO.
partnership between the United States
and President Mckinley. from 1850
with the exception of nine years-the
exports of gold bullion and coin by the
United States exceeded largely the I'M
ports. and from 1889 to and including
1896, our excess of gold bullion and coin
export ranged from four millions to
eighty-seven and a half millions of dol
lars value. But in 1897 for the first
time III nine years, the United states
imported an excess of gold bullion of
the value Of S44, 653, 200. The excess of
exports of silver over imports has con-
tinued since 1860, and in 1897 amount
ed to $31, 413,411.
Our exports of merchandise for the
full twelve months of 1896 was valued
at 81, 005 S37, 241, while for the eleven
months of 1897 ending November Both,
our exports amounted to 1914, 649, 40.
For the twelve months of 1896 our total
imports amounted to 1851, $40, 500, while
for the eleven months of 1897 the total
was S691, H., 2S3. In 1896 the percent
age Of free imports was 4T4, while in
1897 ii was much higher, namely, ol. l.
Concerning the irritation Germany
feels toward us just now it is to be
noted that the balance of trade is ex-
ceedingly large in our favor. For No
vemb Der, 1897, we exported to Germany
general merchandise valued at ST.
So, 600, while we imported from Ger
many to the value of but S3,41o,2
In that month we sent to the whole OF
Europe 800, $50, 126, while we bought OF
Europe only $24, All ,965. For the elev-
en- months ending with November, 1897,
70 nn
value of 1881, So. S05. while We sold to
Europe in the same period no less than
S755, 354 ,S64 worth of merchandise. Our
South American trade. however, shows
a balance against us. of over $64, 600, 600.
So too, the Oceanic and Asian trade
balance is against US, while the African
trade is in our favor much over So
100000. We export more goods to
North American points than we buy
from them by so, 100000 and over.
There is a wild-eyed story from over
the sea that there is in contemplation
in Spain a plan to unit all Latin peoples
on the South American continent in
union antaSonistic to the United States
and intended to dictate terms to it. 1t
IS said that the Latin and Catholic
countries Of the southern continent,
supported by the Latin and Catholic
States of Europe, would vastly out
number US in population, in military
strength and in material resources, ana
that these in unity could and may find it
necessary to curb the impudence and
power of the United States. politically,
commercially and otherwise. 1t is
startling tale, to be sure. But there is
nothing in it, If all else concerning
1t should be conceded, this remains,
namely. that the Latin States never
can be united They are by nature re-
pellant to each other. There is no CO.
hesive power among them. 1t is about
all that they can do to maintain peace
between themselves They never have
and never will have the union of inter-
est, the tenaclty of purpose or the po-
ntical integrity essential to any union
as a mass against any great nations OF
combination of nations. But IL 1t
should be granted that they might be
united for the purpose of putting a bit
in the mouth Of the United states, II
happens that there are others to be
considered, other races and religions or
men, whose interests are even more
closely knit than the Latin's, and who
would not be likely 10 stand idly by ana
see a dominant Power set up in this
hemisphere that would be likely TO die
tate next to European Governments not
in the proposed and chimerical COM
pact.
There was a caustic and significant
line in the last report of Captain Slgs-
bee from Havana. The Captain is