The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-09-24
TARIFF OF PORTO RICO
SPLENDID RESULTS OF THE LAW
PASSED LAST SPRING.
Wonderful Percentages of Gain i'm the
Export and Import Figures Four
Months Records i'm Four Years.
.ial to the indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, Sept 2S.-Four months
operations of the Porto Rican tariff law
show an increase of more than 10 per cent
in our exports to that island compared
with the corresponding months Of 1899 and
more than 30 per cent. compared with the
corresponding months of 1897 or 1898.
The act went into effect May l. so that
the figures for August, which have just
been completed by the treasury bureau of
statistics. complete the record of the fourth
month of commerce between the island and
the United States under the new law and
render practicable comparison of the
four months term with corresponding
periods in preceding years.
The corresponding four months in 1899
cover a period in which the island was
under the American flag, but subject to the
customs laws Of the United States which
relate to foreign countries. The corre-
spending four months of 1898 were the war
period and do not therefore furnish fair
basis for comparison. The corresponding
four months of 1897 and 1896 present normal
conditions in the commerce between the
island and the United States when it was
Spanish territory. 1t is therefore now
practicable to contrast the commerce be-
during four months operations of the new
law with corresponding period prior to the
enactment of this law when the island was
under the American flag and also with
corresponding periods when the island was
Spanish territory and to determine whether
the enactment of the new law was followed
by an increase in our commerce with the
island 1t will be remembered that the
diScucciopc in, Con0reSS few months ago
and the statements made by delegations
from and officials in the island indicated
that the island had, as a result Of the storm
of August. 1899. practically nothing to sell
and nothing with which TO buy and it was
supposed that the first few months under
the new act would necessarily show re-
duction in the exports and purchasing
corresp OF ins i perod in former Years ~
1t is the more surprising, therefore, to
find that the island has during the four
months since the enactment of the law
of her exports, as against 81, 1854. 900 worth in
the corresponding months of 1899, N.1S3,OO0
in the corresponding months OF 1897 and
81, $50 900 in the same months OF 1896. and
that its people have been able to purchase
from the United States during that period
sz.525.O00 worth of our exports. against
81 I32 600 worth in the corresponding months
of 1889. 500 900 worth in 1897 and S5S7. 900
worth i'm the corresponding months of 1896.
The table which follows shows the i'm
ports from and exports to the island in
it's commerce with the United States dur
ing May, June. July and August of 1896.
1897, 1899 and 1900. respectively. and the total
for each period. and thus enables a COM
parison by months and by the entire period
both with 1899. when the island was under
the American flag but subject to the gen.
eral customs laws of the United States,
and with 1896 and 1897. when it was Span
ish territory. 1t will be seen that every
month since the enactment of the new law
"A increase
still greater increase compared with
1897 and 1896. while the total imports from
the island in the four months of 1900 show
an increase of s. per cent. over 1899 and
la per cent. over 1897. and the exports
show an increase of l23 per cent. over 1859
and 301 per cent. over 1897.