The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-07-31
TUESDAY. JULY 81, 1900.
OUR TRADE ABROAD

The Chief Of the Treasury Bureau Of
Statistics has just promulgated his report
ON the foreign commerce of the United
. States for the year ended June 80 1900 and
makes an exhibit which must bring some
OF the great commercial powers to retiec-
ton 1t shows that the commerce Of the
United States for the year was more than
S.o'"e0a.eo9. the imports of merchandise
being ssia,7l.,6lo, and the exports being
8, 30. 1871
As to imports, it Is gratifying 10 note
that the class designated as ..manufactu1-
ers materials including only articles in a
: rr.de condition, is by far the largest. being
IN 1890 s302,2 &c. JOG against $222 IA in 1899
or nearly 20 per cent greater than in any
preceding year, while the class which in
Guides articles wholly or partially manu-
featured Tor use in manufacturing amount
ed to sSs,4s2,54s against SOS, 1888 in 1885, ana
considerably more than 100000 in 1881.
So it Is seen that even in the imports ac-
count there is abundant evidence OF the in
crease in our manufacturing business
But this is a small item as compared
with the exports Of manufactured articles.
These amounted TO SaS22, 2sS4 ,SS65 in 1860.
against ss2s,G.J55S in any preceding year
The increase is Sa2.GoS. sos against an in
crease of S5o,09a.o00 in any. year preceding.
To put il in another way, our manufac-
lures form 2l3& per cent. Of the total OK
pnrtations in 1900 against 2S.13 per cent. in
1899. the total exports for 1890 We're four
times as great in 1860, while those of
manufactures alone We're ten times as large
as in 1860 Ii is shown that while the total
exports for 1880 were but SO per cent. in
excess OF 1891, the exports of manufactured
articles Were l5o per cent. in excess of that
year.
1t is interesting aud Instructive also TO
note that this large increase in our export
trade is due TO the fact that we have
found new markets for our wares. The re-
port shows that exports 10 the continent
Of Europe increased only 10 per cent in
1860 over 1889, and but 80 per cent over
1880. while to Asia the increase was IS per
cent. over 1899. This is most significant as
showing the direction in which our trade
is expanding. We are finding markets in
territory which has not hitherto been occu-
pied by Us.
1t is also a notable fact that the gold
mined in the United States during The wear
ended December 81. 1899, amounted 10 ST..
5eopop, exceeding the production Of any pre-
Tious year. and for the first time surpass-
ing the record established in 1853, whe.,
the mines of California produced a,0oo
worth of gold. The annual average gold
produc; OF the United States is now double
that of a decade earlier.
These exhibits as 10 our export trade and
our production of gold have mos, impor-
tanr bearing on the present political status
and of themselves differentiate the cam
paign Of 1880 from that of 1886 With plenty
of gold TO satisfy the demands of those
who want more" money Of first redeinp-
trade sufficiently large 10 keep our indus
tries going, the arguments used in 1886 Tor
free silver fan to the ground.
We may also remark that whatever may
be said about imperialism and expansion.
and however those two terms may be con-
has come 10 stay.
The report from which we have quoted
also presents some interesting figures as 10
our trade with Cuba, Porto Rico, Hawaii
and the Philippine Islands. In 1886 exports
from the United States TO Cuba amounted
10 81. $50 $50. There was a steady increase
from that time until in 1895 the exports
amounted to SIS 6ls,s77. and IN 1900 to s2s.-
5as.s,s. Exports to Hawaii in 1896 amounted
10 ,7o5; In 1850 to is,yos,las. In 1886 our
exports to the Philippine Islands amounted
to ..se 4ss: in 1900 to $3.50. .is
The Hawaiian Islands are now part
- the United states. the Philippines are
for the dime being at least our POSSESSIONS
and Cuba is practically under our control
,yhatevcr may be the final outcome the
~ t,,e Limited States will be frea 10