Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-06

Totals ......... 81, s65, 5I5, 1872 81 963. I15. Jas
The net increase is therefore $97, 40 1856
FOREIGN COMMERCE.

cea'S 49,
FOREIGN COMMERCE.
Thei commerce of the year has been
marked by three especially notable charac-
ter.stics. First, a continuation of the phe-
nOmenal exports of last year; second
moderate increase in importations; and
third. the combined imports and exports
form the largest total ever shown by a
single year in the history of our foreign
commerce.
The total imports of merchandise during
the year were s691. 14S 49, as compared
with S616,0iJ6J4 in The fiscal year 1898 and
SitI. 30, i12 in the fiscal year 1897 being
less than in any fiscal year since 1887, ex.
cept iS4' wren importations were being
Aeid back to obtain advantage of an ex-
pected reduction in tariff. and 1898 when
they were abnormally low, because of ex-
cessiVe importations in the preceding wear
III anticipation of an increased tariff The
expectations of 1899 We're 81 227 O23. 400 as
against 81. 231. 49,. $50 in the fiscal year lsas
and sl,05o,393. 500 in 1897, being the fourth
year In our history in which the exports ex-
eetded La billion dollars, and falling but
-. f''U2S below those of the phenomenal
year 1898, when the supply of breadstuffs
abroad was unusually short and that of
the United States unusually large. The to-
tai OF our foreign commerce for the fiscal
year 1899 thus stands at 1924 III, 701. or
SGt 49l, Isl greater than in any preceding
year.
Our foreign commerce has much more
80 oopi,u SINCE ioiV, tIe total OF the
IMPORTS and exports combined being in 1870
but ss2s, 100, 49, while those of 1899 were
81 ,92i 1I,i0l. and seem likely in the wear
iAn TO pass the two billion dollar line
This remarkable growth has been chiefly
IN the side of exports, the imports of 1899
being but ~ per cent in excess of those Of
1870, while the exports of 1899 are 212 ner
cent greater than those of 1870 This com
parlson OF the Increase in our imports and
exports Is especially interesting when con-
sldered IN connection with the growth Of
population The population In 1870 was
3s,53S.S1l, and that in 1899 is estimated nv
the actuary of the treasury at rs. I4S OOo T.
Will be seen that while the population from
1870 to 1899 has doubled the imports have
increased but 90 per cent and the exnor+s
2l2 per cent, showing the rapid increase In
the capacity Of the citizen of the limited
States to supply his own requirements and
to contribute to those Of other parts OF the
world The average importations per. capits
IN 1910 were I13O. and in 1899 1915, while
the average exports per capita In 1870 were
$1O.19. and in 1899 $1612 In other words
the imports per capita are now 20 per cent
less than In 1870. while the exports ner
capita are bS per cent greater than In 1910
Importattons naturally fall into three
great groups-manufactured articles for
consumption. articles for use of the manu-
facturers and food stuffs of the class which
cannot be produced at home. In nearly ali
class, manufactured articles there has been
little increase during the thirty years under
consideration, although the consuming pop-
ulation has doubled meantime the Increase
of 60 per cent in our importations during
that time having been chiefly In articles for
use In manufacturing and in food stuffs of
class which cannot b produced at home