The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-07
A GOOD SHOWING.
Eight Months of Exports and Imports
Under the DingIey Law.
American Economist.


A continued gain in the Foreign trade of
the United States goes forward under the
Dingley law. The gain is wholly in what
totally destructive of the theory that the
policy Of protection is not compatible with
the maintenance of trade with the, outside
world. For the past seven months the free
trade writer's have been insisting that such
4 condition could not last, but the Treasury
Department reports for February show the
our exports and also heavy decrease in
our imports.
For the month of February, 1898, the ex-
ports OF merchandise amounted to 94,9S1, OF,
as compared with SO ,821 .0S6 for February.
1897, being a gain of 5,159, 931. Imports for
Of over $6,000,0O0 as compared with Feb
ruary, 1897, and leaving an excess of ex-
ports for the month of $4l .S9S. 500, against
an excess amounting to $20,5S3, 700 for Feb
ruary Of last year.
For the eight months ending February,
1S98-seven full months and a fraction of the
eighth month being the period of the opera
ton of the Dingley law-the total exports
Of merchandise were $S13s370.0n against
gain OF SS,3n,S5S for the Dingley law pc
Rod.
ss9s, 7OS, 966, against S422, 5i6, 1884, being de-
crease Of $2S, SOC, 42S In the gross volume of
imports. The excess of exports over i'm
ports for the eight months Il + SAG
the eight months ending with February,
4n6 net gam IN the excess OF exports
over imports during tho eight months of
the Dingley law period as contrasted with
the corresponding period year ago
amounts to $107 ,17S 2S6. Otherwise stated,
the Dingley law has in less than eight
months swelled our trade balance to $419,-
6sl .10a and has scored gain of a0!, IFS 2Ss
over the trade balance of the equivalent
eight months of the Wilson-Gorman law
period of the preceding fiscal year.
NO other country can produce such
showing as that made by the United States
under the policy of protection intelligently
applied. Free-trade England presents a
striking contrast in this respect. Returns
for January, 1898, published in the latest
issue OF the London Chamber of Commerce
Journal, show that during that month Brit
ish imports have increased S7O4,116 as COM
pared with January, 1897, while for January,
$685. the exports of products and manufac-
with the same month year ago. The ex-
cess If imports over exports for January,
1885, amounted to $103, 425, 435, or at the rate
CT over 81 200 100000 for the year.
Trade returns of Austria-Hungary for the
year 1897 show an increase in imports CT
A545,553 forms, while the exports have de-
creased 62l ,607 forms, as compared with 1896.
A similar story is told by France for the
month OF January, the increase of imports
amounting to 1888 900 francs while the ex-
ports fell off 1,S40,000 francs.
Germany makes the best showing OF any
European nation, but still far from equal
TO that Of the United States For the year
metals, were ia value 81. 208, 900, an in
crease of $6S, 735 600 over 1896 and her ex-
ports were Ss47OS 900, being S3,57725O more
than IN 1886.
No country enjoys the peculiar CONNER
cial advantage possessed by the United
States-that of exporting in eight months
SSi3,S700n of her surplus products, while
other nations. Such is the record made by
the United States under the Dil.gley tariff.