The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-07

Mr.. MICHAEL G.. MULHALL the WELL
known authority on statistics, has contrib
uted to the October number Of the North
American Reuie,r an article on the progress
made by the United States during the five
years preceding June, 1898. The facts are
brought out with force, and their sgnih-
canoe Is enhanced by the reflection that,
since June, 1898, our national prosperity
has experienced no check. There is r"a-
son, therefore, to believe that Mr.. Null
HALLS conclusions will be not only con-
firmed but emphasized by the census to be
taken next year.
Mr. MuLHALL does not hesitate to say
that the world has never before witnessed
such a development Of the hardware indus
tries as the United States exhibited in the
five years following 1893. In the twelve
month named the production OF pig iron
was 7, 100, 900 tons; in the year ending
June 80, 1898, 1t was II 800, 900 tons,
showing an increase Of 81 per cent. During
the same quinquennial period the produc-
ton of steel rose from 4 ,O2O, 900 to 7, 60
900 tons, the latter figures representing an
increase Of 70 per cent II we turn to
textile manufactures, We find that the
consumption OF fibre in the various mills
increased from $4,000 to s35. 900
pa, 900 to 255, 900 tons in the case OF
fax and jute. There was on the other
hand, between 500 and 500, a decline of 4
per cent. in the weight Of wool consumed.
There was no increase, however, in the i'm
ports Of woollen manufactures from foreign
countries, these having fallen 20 per cent,
that is to say, from 81 million dollars in
800 to IL millions in 1898. The truth
seems to he that cotton goods are super
seding woollen in some parts of the Union,
the consumption of cotton having risen
from l 7 pounds per inhabitaut in 1893 to
25 pounds in 1898, while that of wool fell
from to 81 pounds.
Comparing the external trade OF the Union
in 1903 with that Of 1893, and excluding all
goods in transit Mr.. MuLHALL reaches the
surprising fact that. in the qunqucnnial
period, notwithstanding nm increase Of ~
millions in population, there was decline
Of $685., 900, 600 in imports. The value OF
food imports shrunk from 900 to III mil
lions of dollars that Of raw material. from
2ls to 1S9 millions OF dollars and that OF
manufactures, from 249 to 90 millions Of
| dollars. The shrinkage OF nearly 40 per
cent. in the imports OF manufactured goods
| Is the more remarkable because the customs
| duties in 1898 were much lighter than
in 1898 On an average, the duties in the
year last named We're 8 per cent. higher
| than they are now. In view OF this fact
an increase in this branch OF imports
might have been looked for but the truth
| Is, as Mr. MULHALL recognizes, that the
| home manufactures OF the United States
are growing with marvellous rapidity.
Consequently, the American people take
less and less goods from Europe every year.
Passing to that part OF Mr.. MULHALL's ar
ticlc which deals with tilage, we note that
| the total value OF agricultural products
showed in five years an increase OF 634
millions Of dollars. AS regards agricul-
tural exports, the weight was more than
| doubled in five years and the value rose
40 per cent.
There are some shadows as well as lights
| in the picture. For instance, the receipts
and net earnings Of railways In the United
States for 1897, the latest year for which
railway statistics have been published,
exhibit decline, the gross receipts having
fallen from POI to ,124 millions OF dol
lars. and the net earnings from $50 to 1913
millions Of dollars The net profit on the
capital invested in railways which. In
1893, had averaged 81 per cent, shrunk,
In 1897. to per cent. Then. again while
tho tonnage OF port entries shows an in
crease Of 80 per cent. In Ave years, this
was entirely attributable to foreign entries,
American shipping containing to decline.