The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1899-07-08
STRING OF STATISTICS
Figures Which Cause Suffering to
Free Traders.
March Total of Exports of American
Manufactures Surpasses That OF
Any Previous Mon tn in Our
COuntry's History.

Statistics are brutal things. They
are destitute of all humane and sympa-
thetic qualities. Truth is what they
tell, cold. hard, heartless truth, regard
less of the sufferings inflicted. The
amount of narrowing trouble which
certain class of theorists are made to
endure on account of this lack of COM
passion so characteristic of facts and
figures cannot be measured. For eX-
ample, these theorists were dead GER
tain, and said so over and over again,
that the Dingley tariff meant death to
the expansion of our foreign trade;
that it was suicide pure and simple on
the part of the manufacturing inter-
ests. Now, in the most inconsiderate
manner, come the statistics of the
treasury bureau to lacerate the feel
ings and rasp the sensibilities of our
free trade friends. They show, do
these cruel statistics, that American
manufacturers made their highest rec
ord in foreign markets last month.
The figures uncompromisingly set
forth the fact that the March eXporta-
tons of manufactures were $36,025,-
1888, or more than 25 per cent. in excess
of any preceding month. In March
last year the exports of manufactures
were $26,214,45O; in March, 1897 $685.
S76,S61, and in March, 1896, $10,125, 705.
On only two occasions, March and De-
cember, 1898. have the exports of sim
gle month ever reached $2S,000,0OO,
while in March, 1899, they were $780,
025,733, an increase of so per cent. over
those of the preceding month, Febru-
airy, 1899.
Prior to 1897 exports of manufactures
never averaged in any month as much
as a million dollars for each business
day; in five months of 1898 they aver
| aged a million dollars for each business
day, but it was left for March, 1899, to
make the average of more than mil
lion dollars for each day in the month,
or an average of $1,4O0,00O for each
business day.
The increase in the expectations of
manufactures, which the free traders
said was going to be impossible under
the Dingley law, is apparent in nearly
all lines. Of agricultural implements
the March, 1899. exports were $2,379,-
744, against 81 ,47O,397 in March of the
preceding year. Exports of cotton
cloths increased from 27,030,657 yards
in March, 1898, to 45,266,959 yards in
| March, 1899, and of this amount the eX-
| ports to China alone were 23,433, 500
yards, against 13,635,S74 yards in
March of last year. Chinaware in
creased from $13,9S6 in March of last
year to $40,333 in March, 1899. Instru-
ments for scientific purposes, including
telegraph, telephone, ETC., increased
from $230,01S in March, 1898, to $4S1,-
100 in March, 1899, thus showing an in
crease of more than 100 per cent.
Builders hardware increased 33 per
cent, sewing machines nearly 30 per
cent, typewriters nearly so per cent,
leather about 40 per cent, boots and
shoes so per cent. naval stores 60 per
cent. and vegetable oils nearly 40 per
cent
Now for some of the larger totals
which carry dismay to the hearts of the
cock-sure Cobdenites. During the nine
months ending with March, 1899, the
exports of manufactures amounted to
$242, s63,645. against $2OS, ,O36 in the
corresponding months of last year, and
formed more than 26 per cent. of the
total exports, against 90 per cent. in the
corresponding months of the preceding
fiscal year.
From whatever standpoint the March
record of the exports of manufactures
is considered it is not only interesting
surprising and gratifying to protec-
tionists, but saddening and sickening
to the free traders. For the first time
in our history the exports of manufac-
lures formed more than one-third OF
the total exports. The highest record
ever made for a complete year was that
of 1897, when manufactures formed 26.S
per cent. of the total exports, while the
March, 1899, figures show manufac.
lures to be 1873 per cent. of the total
exports for that month. Prior to 1895
imports of manufactures always en-
ceeded the exports of manufactures
The fiscal year 1898 showed the exports
of manufactures to be 25 per cent. in
excess of the imports of manufactures
This was looked upon as abnormal be-
cause of the small importations of man
ufactures Immediately following the
enactment of the Dingley tariff law Of
1897, and it was assumed that importa
tons of manufactures would increase
and perhaps again exceed the exports
of manufactured articles. Instead Of
this the March exports of manufactures
are in round numbers so Per cent. il
excess of the imports of manufactures
while for the nine months the export:
of manufactures amount to $242,S $3.50,
GAS. against $l94.226,695 worth of i'm
ports of manufactures during the sam,
period. Thus. Notwithstanding the
fact that the importation of manufac
lures has slightly increased during tn,
fiscal year 1890, compared with the cor
responding months of the preceding
year, the exports of manufactures foi
the nine months are 25 per cent. great
er than the imports of manufactures
. and for the single month of March, al
. already indicated, are so per cent
greater than the imports of manufac