The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-04-24
BANNER YEAR in TRADE.
Enormous Increase in Exports for the Els.
cal Year Of 1898.
THE lMpORTSwERE EXCEPTIONALLY SMALL
FOR Every Dollars Worth Brought
In.rwo Dollars Worth Was
shipped Out.

Washington, April 23.--Tbe fiscal ycai
CT 1898 was the banner year of the foreign
trade OF the United States, our exports
being the largest ever recorded for like
period and our imports exceptionally
small. According to a comprehensive re.
port just prepared by Mr. Frank II
Hitchcock, chief OF the section Of foreign
markets Of the agricultural department
the total value of our domestic exports
reached the enormous sum Of $i.2io,251,
9i3, exceeding the record breaking figures
OF the preceding year by SITS, $40. On
the other hand the imports during 1895
we're the smallest since 1885, the revenue
being S6i6049, 654, decline Of sl4S,6S ,7Ss
frcm the figures of 1897. Broadly stated,
for every dollars worth OF foreign mer-
chandse brought into the United States,
two dollars worth Of our products found
a market abroad. Our domestic exports as
compared with our imports showed an ex-
cess Of 1894, 242. 259 or more than twice the
excess for 1897, which was the f@gest
ty;ousiy reported.
An interesting fact developed by the
report OF Mr.. Hitchcock Is the increase in
the exports of agricultural products, being
1898 per cent of the total, or SS5S. 501 9iS.
gain Of nearly Is per cent over 1897 Ex-
ports Of this class also show a greater gain
proportionately than agricultural ex-
poris,
Our purchases of foreign agricultural
products in 1898 amounted to only $314,-
2et, 1876 ar compared with $40O,s7i 46S in
1897 an increase Of SS6,759e72, or about
% per cent
Tho value Of the American farm pro-
duce sent abroad during 1898 was much
more than double that of our agricultural
Imports, the excess OF the former over the
later amounting to S5i4. 2l6li6. In 1897
the excess on the side Of the agricultural
exports was only s2sS, $50. 725. and in the
years Immediately preceding stll smaller
The total value Of the breadstuffs sent
abroad advanced from S197. S57 2t0 in 1897
to 1888, S9lll9 in 1898. In wheat and -four
alone there was a gain Of nearly 800 900, :
0OO. While these enormous gains resulted
in part from the higher prices that pre-
vailed there was at the same time an i'm
portant increase in the quantity shipped
The total wheat shipments were 14S.231 .26f
bushels, nearly double the quantity ex-
ported In 1897 Averaging the eyport price
at 1873 cents per bushel, the value was
Sli1 ga $50, gain OF sS5, 764 1870 when the
average price was 1853 cents per bushel
and the total value S50,g2017S.
Allhough cur exports of wheat -four did
nor increase very much in quantity during
iess the gain in value as a result of the
higher prices amounted to S13.32q. 371 !,
During 1898 the export price averaged as
nIeh as Si'ol per barrel, making the total
value OF the shipments $50 1853. us as com
pared with S55,9li,Si7 for 1897, when the
average price per barrel was only sara
III the quantity shipped there was An in
crease from l4569545 barrels to 5.14g. ot2
naFreis during the two years mentioned
ne total value of the exported wheat and
nour reached as high as S214. g4S.3 77 In
1888 While in 1897 fl was only S115. S34 Sax
Next TO wheat. Indian corn showed the
.,,so est gam the total exports being 2OS.-
1888 bushels. valued al S74 100 Ma rs
against 176,916,S65 bushels. valued A. s5t 10
OSi'lo2 in 1897, The average price in 1903
WI was So.5c per bushel, as compared with
'u,6c per bushel the preceding wear
me expectation of oats also showed q
gam, the total being 69,I3O,2sS bushels
valued at $20,6S2,9l4. against "a o3S 80
bushels valued at $S,756, 2O7 in 1897. rbe
pIlCe was 4'9 cents in the former wear
and 20S cents In 1898.
There was an increase in tbe sbi,r,a,+
OF rye from $9.667 sos to Ss,S26. 100.
After the leading breadstufss tbe ,,.
, n,,ir gains made during 1898 De-
CURED among the exports of meal nrnd-
uets' bacon being a conspicuous avaI,nIa
pounds. if'''oS'iSo
on shipments OF cotton Increased iron,
o'loS'!64'9l9 pounds In 1897 to z S50 oei Sas
pounds In 1928, a gain Of 80 = =Oi'9 30
pounds but the total value Of thasn o shIr,
nients, owing to drop of IA cents In tbo
average export price from IA cant 10y.
o oouuu 10 cents, declined from s930 Sdn
~ ~ IN the former year to $3.50 AZ Ok IN
me iatter a loss of $44S, 1856. -
1905 ur leading agricultural imports DURING
wera nostnn IN the order of their value
veeeteha sugar, hides and skins. silk.
t .esetAole hbers, wool, fruits. tea ian,
tobacco and wines 'ea' rear
u these Items the only ones n ,ho,,.
81 Ijre'se over 1897 were coffee. hides and
e sAipS' silks and vegetable fiber, IN d tSa
T , OF coIee the average ini,ort nr to-
in 1897. t' ~ 1917 to 75c
Our imports or hides and s,,rs au.,..
IVY showed considerable incrnoas =, ,u hs
Quantity and value. ''' III Dotn
NO. H .ne average yearly Import price tbers
pound io'c 10 lo.lc per
e., G So,l,, anh wool furnished The most con.
Examples Of decrease among orr
of IN Ia imports for 1898 The falling
articles ,,,.s.','i,cu Nalue OF these Two
our imports Of sugar during 1sS V wsrs ~
emaliest ~ twelve years, amonntIng 10
~ my -,oSg'92O,S5l pounds. Compared win
o a.,s. record breaking returns for 800 VIII,
}b imports reached 4,a1S. O75'oss non wMTn
as aS5 sso "gnres show falling OIL of 2 99s.
WAS dec 9Ii,os An IN The total value there
,,,, q ueoIine during the two yo,r, .a,rs5
rom ssao66,1sl to SEQ 472.7ia r5e ov venea
import prico per pound ,vas o ~, AZ ttse |
and s.2c for 1898 '''o Aor 1917
Il me ne imports OF wool during 1897 were Tho
largest in our history TIC reco MT me
r vuss year amouated 70 $50, $50. OPS ROUNDS
dronns1 Fa an 90 OF S54,9ls,tol, In lSsS thew
Sic. 7sS SO = M Tba ,'9, so2 pounds valued at
price declined during the two va ys.r import .
l0'2o to lace pound "o !ears from
THOSE SEDITIous c