The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-05-18


tords very complete idea OF the agricultural
exports of the country. The facts were COM
piled by II. n. Price, of Washington, ID. c.:
Our agricultural exports during the fiscal
ear ending June 80, 1897, amounted in
more than two-thirds of our total export
g rade Our most important agricultural ex-
yorts, in the order of their value, were cot
. on, wheat -four corn, cattle, bacon, lard,
,eaf tobacco, fresh beef and hams. These
ten articles formed about four-fifths of our
agricultural export trade in 1897, their COM
bined value amounted to $563, 621 O6l. Cotton
is by far the most important single item.
Notwithstanding the marked decline that oc
CURED in the price OF this product during
value of $3.50 9S0, 971, or $40 S34. 5l1 more than
in the year preceding. The other exports
were as follows: Wheat, s5s.s2o ITS; whea,
35 AL bacon, S34 49, 147; lard. s29 1926 ass leaf
tobacco, s24 513.567; fresh beef, $50, 653, 742,
hams. Sl5,97OO21. Agricultural exports of less
oats, barley, fruits, cottonseed oil, oleo oil.
horses canned beef cheese, butter, flaxseed.
rye, sailed or picked beef, picked pork, tai
low, glucose, hides, grease, etc.
Among the American agricultural PROD
ducts that have received especial attention in
the efforts put forth by the department to
toned butter, horses and Indian corn.
The method employed to secure the fav
orable introduction of American butter into
foreign markets has been by the shipment
of selected lots under the supervision of spe~
cial agents whose duty it was to see tina.
the butter was properly placed upon the
purchaser as American butter. In the con-
duct of these experimental shipments care
has been taken to meet the particular re-
as # eeo ma ahd 2gF
ter, but also as to the size and shape Of
package, etc The results of these shipments
that under fair conditions American butter
can compete successfully with the finest in
the world. The exports of American butter
s frG 9ga s9 to p9g ss p vausd
worth 81 493 364. in 1897. - "--~
Special foreign agents have also been en-
ployed by the department to collect infor-
nation as to the possibility Of American
horses. 1t is believed that we can supply
large numbers Of horses that will meet the
army requirements OF some OF the European
have been instructed to ascertain what these
requirements are, in order that our exporta-
ton of horses for this purpose may be intel
hgently conducted Few countries are better
adapted than the United States to the raising
of horses, and with the great natural adv want
ages that we possess in this regard, we should
horse market. That we are already beg ming
to extend our trade in this direction is shown
by the fact that In 1897 we shipped abroad
80, 532 horses valued at 81, 769 2SS, as compared
with only 1857, valued at s71S,e07, in 1898.
Another agricultural product that is finding
a wider market across the sea is Indian corn.
Increased from As OBJ 274 blu, worth $24 5S7, 5l1
in 1898, to 176, 916, 365 Blu, worth S4,0S7152, in
1897. Notwithstanding this remarkable gain,
still sending abroad very 1nsignlf1-
cant portion of our total production Through
the medium Of our consular service the de-
par,ment of agriculture Is at present conduct
ing an investigation with view to securing
a still larger export trade in this valuable
grain.
AS result of the growing export trade of
the United States In farm products, the
agricultural population in some of the
European countries where our exports are
marketed feel very keenIy the effects +, Of
portion of their population the governments
of these countries have several times placed
restrictions upon the importation OF our pro-
ducts. This hostility of the agrarian classes,
who see in the competition of the United
States dangerous menace to their own in
terests, is one of the most formidable OBJ
agricultural export trade
IL addition to the restrictions that have
been placed upon our products, notably by
the governments of Germany and France,
there has been created in some instances an
unf-unded prejudice against the character of
American goods. largely, no doubt, through
the opposition Of the agrarian population re-
ferred to. This prejudice has been very diff
fcu!t to overcome. 1t still exists in some
Another obstacle to the extension of our
export trade in agricultural commodities
lists in the fact that our exporters frequently
fail to meet with sufficient care the pc
Fetst hey are seeking They overlook the
difference IN custom and taste that some
times exists between the United States and
foreign countries.
OUR TRADE RELATIONS WITH CANADA
Very many people on both sides Of the line
dividing Canada from the United States
would like to see closer trade relations One
year with another. there Is intermittent
effort to secure this praiseworthy arrange
ment through reciprocal concessions on both
sides. Each government imposes q pretty
stiff tariff on imports, but 1t Is not improb-
able the day will come when the give and
take principle will be more in evidence.
and this irrespective of the prospects OF
eventual annexation. The Boston chamber
of commerce and the Chicago board of Aode
have recently adopted resolutions indorsing
reciprocal treaty commercial relations be-
tween the United States and Canada and
New Foundland.
We buy annually in Canada merchandise to
the value of some s25, Coo 600 and sell to our
Canadian cousins thirty to thiEty-ave mil
lions. Lumber makes up a very large por-
ton of our imports. commodity which does
not enter materially into competition with the
American producer of farm crops. Consid-
cradle quantities of wool are imported from
Canada, and so with numbers of
cattle and sheep. We buy some coal,
good many horses and more or less grain;
but export to Canada rather more of all of
these items than we buy. Our exports of
wheat, flour. corn, COAL cotton and cotton
goods are heavy and encouraging.-Orange
Judd Farmer.
BOOTS, SHOES. LEATHER AND HIDES.
Boots and Shoes-There is little counter
nlanding Of ORDERS but some requests for
delay in delivery, and, while retail trade is
light, it is increasing. Shipments for two
weeks of May have been little smaller than
IN tho years 1895. owing to the delay this
year in reaching work for next season. and
YET III two weeks 131 800 cases against 127, sos
las. year.
Leather-Although the demand is barely
enough to meet current production, the hold
ers have great faith that it must improve
and prices have scarcely changed.
Hides-Packers at Chicago have advanced
prices generally. and country hides Of most
Grades have fallen. SO that the average is
higher for the week. Yet the actual
eiaughior Of cattle during the year ND to
May l at the four chief Western markets
has been LOIS, 391 last year, smaller than in
1894 aad 1898. but larger than In any other
year.-Dur's Review, May IA.