The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-04-10
OUR COLONIAL TRADE
ALREADY SHOWING GREAT M
PROVEMENT OVER LAST YEAR.
Compilation for Porto Rico,
Cuba and Philippines.

WASHINGTON, April 9.-Acting Secre-
tary of War MeikleJohn gave out for pub
lcation to-day some interesting statistics
regarding the trade of the United States
with the islands Of Cuba, Porto Rico and
the Philippines, calling attention 10 the fact
that normal conditions OF trade have not
yet been fully restored between the islands
named. The returns for February show an
increase of imports from the islands into
this country amounting 10 1914 ,49S and a cor
responding increase of exports from the
United States 10 the islands of $694, 2e9, as
compared with the same month year ago.
The trade Of the United States with the
Philippines Ii is said, begins 10 show the
natural growth due to the direction of the
attention of American exporters TO the
archipelago. While the exports from our
ports to the Philippine islands for February
of last year only amounted TO 81 500, for the
same month this year they more than
nine times as much, being sl9,529. For the
eight months ended with Feb. 2S 1898. they
were only sG9.2S5, while for the correspond
ing period of the present year they show
a gain Of nearly 20 per cent, reaching
sll7,021. Our direct importations from Ma
Mia for February were s277,033. a gain Of
nearly 80 per cent. over the same month
last year. Notwithstanding the decline Of
imports into the United States from the
Philippines during the months Of active
warfare, the imports for the eight moIths
preceding March reached S2,e41,l75, COM
pared with g. 102.SS9 for similar period the
year before.
Our trade with Porto Rico likewise shows
an excess of imports over exports TO that
island. For the eight months CT the fiscal
A. nj.
United States gained 10000 in value over
the former year, being S5S5,s4 against $685.
Ssi. OF this gain more than one-hslf was
in the month of February, when the i'm
ports of 1899 reached sl2i,6lS, against $50, ,1S6
for 1898. The trade balance between this
country and Porto Rico is now in favor of
our exporters as for the same month the
exports were s2s7,619. or sl7O5l5 in excess of
those of 1893 For the eight months of the
fiscal year the exports amounted to $685.
596, gain of $12,596, developed regardless
of the several months when the ports of
the island were closed to our wares and
merchandise.
Trade with Cuba has been in the past sew
eral times as large as our trade with Porto
Rico and the Philippines combined and now
is already showing wonderful gains over the
older figures A year ago in February, be-
fore the war, we imported from the Island
of Cuba valued at s2,O59.129. while for the
same month of the current year the figures
were 81, so, $40. For the period of July l. 1898,
to Feb. %, 1929, the total imports TO United
States ports from Cuba were $9,17S, 777,
against $6,4l3,02S for the like period a year
earlier. This increase of more than two
and three-quarters millions mainly occurred
during the last several months when the
crops were being shipped. The exports TO
Cuba have also prospereg, those of January
and February showing AN increase of over
a million dollars In value. For February.
1898, the merchandise exported from this
country 10 Cuba was valued at 81, ,l66, 7ii
while for the same four weeks OF 1889 the
figures were Sl,s11,s4G. The aggregate worth
of the exports from the 1st Of last July TO
the end Of February is given at s19.li2, ,9l9.
an increase of 80 per cent. over the pre-
ceding year.