The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-01-02
MANUFACTURES DOOMED.
Some Annual Figures From the
Treasury Bureau of statistics.

some Annual Figures From the
Treasury bureau of Statistics.
That the manufacturers of the United
States and those depending upon them have
been exceptionally busy in the year just
ended is shown by some figures relating to
the imports of manufacturers materials
and manufactured goods just compiled by
the Treasury Bureau of Statistics. With
large inportations OF manufacturers ma
terials and small importations of manufac-
tured goods and accompanying this an alb
normally large demand at home for manu-
features, it is apparent that those engaged
in their production must have found con-
slant occupation.
Four great classes of raw materials are
habitually and necessarily brought into the
country for manufacturers use-raw silk
india rubber, fibres and hides. ii the i'm
portations of these show a marked increase
it may be accepted as evidence of increased
activity on the part of manufacturers. It
is interesting, therefore, to compare the
figures OF the eleven months importations
in these great classes with those of earlier
years. The figures covering the eleven
months show that in hides the importa-
lions have been largely in excess of any
earlier year, the total value of hides i'm
ported in the eleven months OF 1898 being
spending months OF the previous year, and
sI7,s15 ,32s in the corresponding month of
1S96. The number Of pounds i'm
ported in 1898 were, in round
numbers, 10000, coo in excess OF the CORE
spending months OF 1897. India rubber OF
VIII N large quantities are used by our
ma S:acturers, shows in eleven months of
tht > Il year value OF $22 ,S3l ,57S against
sl9, 633 in eleven months OF 1897, S12,-
$685. l 1896 and sl7,il3,siS in 1895. Raw
silk for he ten months ending with Octo-
Der amounts 10 81, so. 225 in value, against
$50, S29, s96 in the corresponding months of
1897 - SO, 52s. s3f in the corresponding
months of 1896, being thus in ten months OF
1898 more than double that of the CORE
spending period of 1896. OF fibres the i'm
portations in the eleven months ending
with November amounted to 81. 5i2, 2ll,
against SI2.3O5.053 in the corresponding
months OF the preceding year and 81. 326,-
SOC in the eleven months of 1896.
In all OF these four great articles i'm
ported for the use OF manufacturers, il
will be seen that the importations of the
year 1898 for the period covered by the
above figures have been in excess of the
preceding years. rubber being so per cent
larger than in 1884. silk so per cent in
excess Of 1893 hides more than double that
OF 1896 or 1894, and fibers 50 per cent in
excess Of 1894. When this increase in ma
terials imported for the use Of manufac-
turers is considered in connection with
the fact that the importations of manu-
features have fallen in the year just ended
from $2S3. O00, 600 in 1897 TO $3.50, 600. 900 in
the present year. ii will be seen that there
is good reason to believe that the man
ufacturers have been exceptionally busy
In addition to this the ngures OF the
Treasury Bureau OF Statistics show that
the exports of manufacturers in the year
just ended viii be more than $40. 600 900 in
excess of those Of any preceding year. and
will reach in round terms an average of
Sl,0O0.000 day for every business day Of
the year.
In only single article among the i'm
portations for manufacturers use has the
year 1888 failed to show an increased de-
mand. This single article is wool. The
imports Of wool in 1891 were abnormally
great by reason of the importers bringing
in all the foreign wool available prior TO
the enactment Of the tariff law of 1885,
which transferred wool from the free to
the dutiable list. The wool importations
OF eleven months Of 1887 amounted to
357 49,. 26l pounds, against 49, J5. PCS in
the corresponding months OF the preced-
ing year, and against an average in the
corresponding months OF earlier years of
less than half that quantity. In other
words, full two years supply OF foreign
wool was broughf<into the country in the
calendar year 1897, and II is not surpris-
ing. therefore, that the eleven months of
1898 show imports of only 95Ili,s2O
pounds II is thus apparent that the small
importations of wool in 1888 did not indi-
cate a lack OF activity on the part OF
wooden manufacturers, since they evident
ly had In hand when the year began a
fun ordinary years supply. and the fact
that $4,000. 900 pounds have been imported
IN eleven months Of 1898 in addition to the
large stock on hand at the end of 1897,
indicates an unusual activity on their part
as well as on the part OF all other man
ufecturers.