The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-01-19
Commercial FIXTURE of the Pacific
Coast.

commercial Future OF the Pacific
Coast.
Only half a century has passed since
the discovery of gold in California
This incident occurred about the time
of the adoption by congress of the act
providing for the establishment of a
territorial government for Minnesota,
namely. March 8, 1S49. In 1850 the pop
ulati0n of the state was 6,077, and of
this number 2,227, or more than one
third of the inhabitants. We're compris-
ed within the boundaries of Ramsey
county. The official census the same
year showed the population of Cali
fornia to be 92,597. Today the popula-
ton of Minnesota is estimated at about
100000. and that of California Is ap-
proXimately the same. Meanwhile the
growth of the entire country in popu-
lation has been in proportion But, in
dustrially and commercially, the
standard is altogether lacking by which
TO measure the material advancement
of the United States. The tremendous
agencies and forces which have so
largely contributed to these results
We're at that time only in their most
experimental stages.
In 1850 the entire railway mileage in
the United States was only about 5000
miles, while on Jan. 1, 1899, the total
had reached 100000 miles. with an in
Vestment of capital representing Sill
100000 000-affording direct employment
to nearly 100000 men, to say nothing
OF the immense numbers engaged in the
development of raw material and the
skilled labor necessary to its reduc-
ton to a condition of availability in
connection with the innumerable ap-
planes and articles entering immedi-
ately into railway construction and. on
Grafton With these figures as a basis,
Indicating the single feature of land
transportation facilities alone. no sober
minded reader can fail to appreciate
the immensely of the traffic which
must be produced in order to contrib
ute to the profitable maintenance and
operation of this vast machinery for
communication between the people and
the several sections of the national
area.
Yet all this has, in large measure
been devoted to internal transporta-
ton and contributions to the commerce
of the ports of the Atlantic coast and
the Gulf of Mexico, and only within
recent years, with little regard to the
oense population of Asia, numbering
several hundreds of millions Some idea
may be formed of the development of
our national commerce to which the
constantly expanding railway system
1tr.xy hoe
within the period under consideration
and as co-incidental with our indus
trlal growth in the light of the fol-
lowing statistics: In 1850 our total i'm
ports of merchandise, free and duti-
able, amounted to S173, SOP, 526, while our
exports for the year reached a total
Of $144,375,726. a sum which had only
once been exceeded, and that was in
1917, When the total exports attained
the unprecedented volume of $156. 741.
o'S, being an excess of exports over i'm
ports of S34 317, 249-though in 1850 the
imports exceeded the exports in the
sum OF $29, 500. During the wear
ending June so, 1885, the total imports
OF merchandise amounted to $616, .654
With exports in the aggregate of 81.
2Si, $50, being an excess of exports
over imports Of s615, 432, 676 AS is al
ready we'll known, during the first six
months of the present fiscal year, end
ing June 80 next, the increase in our
exports has been at a ratio which.
II maintained, is likely to bring the
total several hundreds of millions high
er than that of the fiscal year ending
June 90 last.
AS above indicated the vast trans
portation plant of the country has
hitherto been devoted to internal traf-
nc and the contribution of industrial
products for the commerce of the At
lanuc ocean. Meanwhile American en-
terprise has succeeded in unlocking the
doors of Asiatic and Oriental coun-
tries for the Introduction of the staples
and merchandise of the United States.
The process has been slow, but the
gradual enlargement of the volume of
trade from the Pacific ports affords
ample assurance that the time has ar
rived when our western coast is des-
tined to spring into undreamed of i'm
portaEce and activity in connection
with our national commerce, and with
much larger reference to that which
we shall export from those shores to
those who want to buy our products
than to- that which in the progress
of trade we may desire to buy from
them. Fer many years they have sent
US their merchandise and products,
which We have bought and consumed
with little reference to the degree in
which they might themselves procure
from us. In other words. the balance
Of trade has been constantly in favor
of those countries. and no efforts have
been made ON our part to alter that
condition OF things. But since 1893