The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-01-21

4o-~' -----'-''-.--.- ooO,oo4o of l,Zo4,92o, 100
II will be noted that our imports last
year were lower than in any one of the
six years embraced in the table. and
$42,64S,307 below the minimum figures.
reached in 1894. The exports were S429.
tt5,029 in excess of the minimum in 1895.
During December, 1898 the. imports
OF merchandise were So, S21, 4S9. as
against $51 sos 1868 for December. 1897
and $5S $50, $50 for December. 1896 The
exports in the same months were $137.-
24I,44S. as against $125, O53, 961 in 1897
end Sill 1851 26 in 1896.
There appears to be a disposition
manifest on the part of the Republican
Press TO claim that the great advance
III our exports since 1895, when they
We're 1924, 1876, is directly due to the
election of Mr.. Mckinley in 1896. It
must be remembered that the figures
given IN each instance are for the cal
ehdar and not the fiscal year. Mr..
Mckinney was not elected until No
Vember 1896, but for that calendar wear
the exports were 81, 005, S37, 241, or $40
J'Ilo5 in excess of the figures of 1S95
and in 1898, two years later. thew ex-
ceeded the figures of 1896 s249. OS7 924
or an average of 1924, 543, 462 for the two
years. though, in fact, the excess in
1917 over 1896 was only S92 1861. S04
Upon the same basis of reasoning one
HlSht justly claim that, whereas the
calendar year 1896 showed a gain over
the year preceding of S170, gu los. per-.
maps 20 per cent of which was shipped
prior to Mr.. McKinley's election. orr
exports in 1897 showed an increase of
only $92, SCI, S04 over the previous wear
or a shrinkage in the annual increase
OF SiS,ll5,301. All of which might he
Jcety attributable to the election of
I'9o' mere Is just as much honesty in
reasoning one way as the other.
men again We are told that the vast
Nolufne OF exports is due directly to
0"e results of the Dingley tariff meas
ure But unfortunately that act did
not go into operation until more than
one-half of the calendar Wear 1897 was
gone, and its effects could certainly nor
nave been felt in our exports to anv
marked degree after the close of that
year. Meanwhile the condemned Will
Son Dill was in full force; but between
the low tide In our exports in 1895
When the figures were 1924, $50. 1876 and
the record for the calendar year 1897
namely Sl,099,7 ,O46, an increase of
sz'4'SSS,so9 was shown. whereas during
TIE year 1893, under the Dinglev bill
the increase over the previous wear
was only $155, 6,12O.
lhese are all most gratifying figures
10 every one who looks hopefully unon
the Industrial advancement of tba
country. But it is just as we'll to he
Ialr and honest in dealing with the
subject. The facts are that the heavy
exports Of wheat during 1898 have dona
much to swell the volume owing to tho
high price of the cereal Then again
the lower cost at which we have been
enabled to manufacture many articles
now IN demand in foreign markets has
mad the effect Of enlarging sales. No
one will deny that the Wilson hill in
providing for the admission of certain
classes OF raw material, stimulated
Manufacturing industries in many
lines, and the good results of that
measure have not been altogether null
hiied by the later Dingley law, thanks
to the ability of manufacturers to dem
onstrate the Importance of preserving
the modifying features of the Wilson
law in this regard
The figures are all right and call for
rejoicing, but the growing hens should
be sure of where they stand before thew
begin their little diversions in the wav
of celebrating