The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-11-26
Excess Over Imports in 1900 Greater
than I'm Any Yenr In tho History
of the United States.
GREAT INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITY
SHOWN In IMPORTATION OF RAW
MATERIAL FOR MANUFACTURING.
Three Decades I'm Which the Nation
Sold More Abroad than 1t Pur-
chased from Foreigners.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 25.-There is ample
food for THANKSGIVING reflections in some
figures which the Treasury Bureau of
Statistics has just presented regarding the
commerce and affairs of the United States
in these closing months of the year 1900
as compared with conditions at the cor
responding date in preceding years, and
comparing prosperity in the United states
with that in other countries. While the
whole world is prosperous, the United
States seems TO be especially So Our ex-
ports show an increase of $166, 331, 17S in the
ten months ending with October, 1900, as
compared with the corresponding ten
months Of 1899, and the total for the ten
months is practically double what it was
in the corresponding months of 1894. This
of itself shows remarkable activity in all
lines of production, while the import as
we'll as the export figures indicate that
the activity in manufacturing lines. and
consequently the increased earnings of the
millions engaged In the industries must be
very great. A very considerable share Of
the materials required for use in manu-
featuring comes from abroad, such for in
stance as india rubber, tin for use in manu-
featuring tin plate, hemp, jute, sisal, raw
silk, cabinet and dyewoods. chemicals.
hides and skins and certain grades OF wool
and cotton; and by measuring the growth
in the Importation of these articles some
idea of the growth Of manufacturing may
be obtained.
The total importation of materials of this
class used in manufacturing during the
ten months ending with October, 1900. is
$23S 257, 91S, as compared with STA, 1896, 157 in
the corresponding months of 1899. and
S127, 80, 9l5 in the same months of 1894.
Turning again to the export side, it is
found that the expectations ofmanufactures
alone amount in the nine months ending with
September, 1900, to 1888 SIS, 2i3, against ST.
502. $40 in the corresponding months of 1899.
and s145, 793, S34 in the same months of 1895.
Thus the expectation Of manufactures has
increased nearly rs per cent. in one year
and more than doubled In the four years
from 1896 to 1900. while the importation of
manufacturers materials has also in
creased at a very rapid rate. Exports of
manufactures of iron and steel alone
amount to s11O, 900, 900 In round numbers In
the ten months ending with October, 1906,
against $50, 600 900 in the corresponding
months of 1899. and $51, 900, 900 in the cor
responding months of 1897, thus having
more than doubled in the three years from
1897 to 1900.
Not only have the manufacturer and the
millions dependent on his industry shared
In the prosperity of the year, but those
engaged in agriculture and mining seem to
have been equally prosperous, judging
from the record shown by the figures Of our
export commerce. The expectation of
agricultural products in the ten months
ending with October. 1900. is in round terms
$500 1000. as against s625, 900 in the
the mine, the forest and the fisheries also
show an increase in 1900 as compared with
the figures of 1892
This increase in the products of industry
is especially interesting in the fact that
in many cases 1t show higher reward
for a given quantity of labor. or, in other
words, higher prices received for the article
itself as well an increase in the quantity
produced and sold. In cotton, for instance,
the average export price per pound in the
months Of September and October, the be-
ginning of the new cotton year, has been
80 cents, against 81 cents in the
same months of the preceding year, while
In other agricultural productions and in
various lines of manufactures especially
those of iron and steel. and in the products
of the mine there are increased prices per
unit of quantity, and thus better earnings
for those who produce them.
A comparison of conditions in the United
OF mi In OIL
measured by the foreign commerce, indi-
Gates a degree of prosperity which COM
pares favorably with any country of the
world. Our own exports for the ten months
ending with October show an increase az
has already been noted. of s1e6 200. co., while
in the exports Of the United Kingdom the
increase in ten months is SIS, 900 600: while
the 1900 figures for Belgium, France. Spain
and Italy show no increase in expectations
during that part of the year 1900 whose
record is now available. In the case of
Belgium. France. Spain, Italy, Germany
and the United Kingdom the imports are
greater than the exports. while in our own
case the exports vastly exceed the i'm
ports, the excess OF exports over imports I'm
the ten months ending with October being
$4s9. 667. 936. or a greater excess than in the
corresponding period of any preceding
year and greater excess than that OF
any other country in the world.
1t is not improper in this review of the
commerce OF the year 1900 and comparison
with preceding years to also briefly review
the decade and century of which IL forms
the closing year. While It is not practicable,
of course. to give the total import and ex-
port figures for the calendar year 1900. the
Bureau OF Statistics has completed the
figures of the fiscal year 1900 ending with
June 80. and thus made 1t practicable to
compare the commerce Of the fiscal year