Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-01-30
WONDERFUL DECREASE IN IMPORTS
FOR THE YEAR.
A RECORD OF TWENTY YEARS
REDUCTION ALTOGETHER IN ARTI-
CLES FREE OF DUTY.
deportation of Manufactured Articles
Drops on Because of Great Re-
vival in Business-Live AM
imals Also Figure
Some Statistics.


details Of the import trade of the
United States in the year just ended have
just been completed by the bureau Of sta
tistics. They show the smallest importa-
ton in twenty years, with the single ex-
ception of the year 1855. The total i'm
ports for the year are S6S4.90S. 229. the re-
vised figures being slightly in excess Of
those of the preliminary statement issued
by the bureau Of statistics earlier in the
month. This is 800 000.0 900 less than the
imports OF 1887, and s2oo.ooooOO less than
those of 1892, while, as already indicated.
they are the lowest in twenty years. with
the single exception Of 1885. The reduction
of imports is altogether in articles free OF
duty, the dutiable imports in 1898 being
1856. 5,549. while those of 1887 were $685.
S02,240. while the free Of duty articles i'm
ported amounted in value in 1888 to $26S, ,SS2,-
$50, against s377. .32s, ,110 in 1897. This reduc-
ton of 500. 100000 in the importation Of
non-dutiable articles is due. first. to a
very great reduction in the importations
Of wool and the transfer Of wool from the
free to the dutiable list; second. to a re-
duction in the free Importation Of man
ufactured articles whether for use In the
mechanic arts or for consumption; third.
to the transfer Of tea from the free list
to the dutiable list, and fourth. to a reduc-
ton in the prices and also slight reduc-
ton in the quantity of coffee imported.
The class. articles of food and live ami
mails" which amounted to $11S1+. 700 in
1897. was but $s7,323.644 in 1898, and this. as
already indicated, is readily accounted for
by the transfer Of tea from the free to
the dutiable list and, second. by the re-
duced prices as well as reduced importa-
tions Of coffee and certain other articles
which still come in free Of duty. but the
prices having been reduced. do not make
as large total in values as last year. Arti-
cles manufactured for use in the mechanic
arts fell from SIS 293 500 in 1897, to 49, SIT
in 1898; articles manufactured for con-
sumption fell from s2O,942,27 in 1897, to
$7,S42.5S7 in 1898. and articles of voluntary
use. luxury, etc, fell from Sc, 7023 80 in 1897,
to $3,S5l,3T in 1898. The above statements
all relate to the non-dutiable importations.
Under the dutiable head the imports Of
1890, as already indicated, differ but little
from those of 1887. Articles of food and live
animals, coming in under the dutiable list
amounted in 1893 to s1o0 506, ,14S against $102. :
349,3 1913 in 1897. Articles In a crude condition
for domestic industry show q marked In
crease. being ,s23 in 1898, against $s2,-
SIS, ,794 in 1897, this being due to the general
activity on the part Of manufacturers and
to the fact that wool was, in July. 1897.
transferred from the free to the dutiable
list. Articles manufactured for use in The
mechanical arts amounted in 1888 to $780,
s61. .169, against s55 1853 in 1887, and ar
ticles manufactured for consumption
amounted to $s6, s62.272 in 1898, against sN,-
ss3, COS in 1897 and 3100, ,3S1, ,3Os in 1895. Ar
ticles Of voluntary use. luxuries. ETC.. un-
der the dutiable list. amounted in value TO
$50 1872 in 1893. against $76,625. los in 1887.
OF the total importations Of 1890. R.2 per
cent were imported free Of duty. against sos
per cent in 1897, 4s per cent in 1895, 5S.7 Per
cent in 1894. 51.s per cent in 1891, 50 per cent
in 1890, and from 80 to IS per cent in the
years ranging from 1884 to 1891.
The reduction of more than $l00. .0O0,o 900 in
imports Is apportioned among the great
groups as follows: Articles manufactured
for consumption, s14,0oo 900; articles manu-
factured for use in the mechanic arts SO,
100000: articles of food and live animals,
$50, 600 600, and articles in a crude condition
for domestic industry. s39. .0Oo.0
The following table shows the importa-
tions by classes in 1898. compared with 1897:
Imports-Free Of duty. 1897. 1898.