New-York tribune., 1900-11-04
LEADING ALL THE WORLD.
WONDERFUL GROWTH OF AMERICAN
EXPORT TRADE.
PROUD POSITION ATTAINED BY THE UNI
TED STATES UNDER REPUBLI-
CAN POLICY.

CAN POLICY.
washington Nov. 3-According to figures
given by O. P Austin. chief OF the Treasury
Bureau of Statistics, the United States is likely
70 assume permanently in the year 1900 the
proud position of the worlds greatest exporter
Of domestic products IN 1899 she was only $50
900 900 behind the United Kingdom in the expor
tation OF domestic products. and as the figures
for the seven months of 1900 ending with July
show a gain of S135,0O as compared with
the corresponding months Of 1899. ii seems rea-
sonable to expect that we shall at the end of
the year find ourselves ahead of the United
Kingdom In the race for supremacy exporters
of articles of domestic production and it is easy
10 see that when we once attain that proud posi-
ton il Will be retained since trade is grow
ing much more rapidly than that Of any other
nation Of the world.
quarter Of a century ago the exports OF the
United Kingdom were more than double those
OF the United States being in the calendar year
1879 81 0S7. .497 900, against S497 ,263 73T from
the United States. BY 1890 exports had
grown 10 $50 800 COS. showing an increase of
nearly S;}50oo00O0 while those of the United
Kingdom amounted S1.2S2 414000 showing
an increase Of only S2O0OO0000 By 1899 our
exports had grown TO 81 253 4S6 600 an increase
OF over S4O0 100000 in nine years, while those
q the United Kingdom were $1,2SI,911.Oo0.
an increase of only 100000 in the nine years
mentioned From 1873 to 1929 the domestic ex-
ports Of the United States increased $50 per
cent while during the same period those Of the
United Kingdom increased only 90 per cent. II
IS thus apparent that a maintenance Of the rela-
tive growth indicated Will shortly, probably
within the present year, bring the domestic ex-
ports Of the United States above those of the
United Kingdom. and that, with the rapid
growth which every year has shown in our ex-
port trade, the commercial supremacy Of the
United States thus established will be per
nanent.
CAUSE OF WONDERFUL GROWTH.
What is the cause of this wonderful growth in
the expectations Of the United States? The an
swer is easy We are the worlds greatest pro-
ducer Of iron copper and timber for use in manu-
featuring. Of coal for the factory. the workshop,
the railway and the steamship; Of cotton for
clothing: Of breadstuffs and provisions for food.
We have the greatest railway system with
which transport the products of the field.
forest and mine to the factory, the most in
genious machinery and the most skilful and in
teIigent workrnen, and by encouraging activity
in all Of these lines OF production and manu-
facture have brought ourselves to q position
In which products are far greater than those
of any other country. and surplus. after
supplying our own great population. now be-
the world.
II has not always been thus. Prior to 1870
cur exports had never reached as much as S400. =
100000; by 1880 they had reached $S35 100000:
by 1892 they had reached S1.030.OO0.OO0, and in
the fiscal year 1900 attained TO their highest
point. s., ,394 Is 6.371 Prior to 1870 the exports
were almost invariab bly, less than the imports,
but in 1874 the tide turned. and there was q
small excess Of exports in that year, S1S,S76 69S
Sna nf had
reached S167, ,6S3, ,012. IN 1892 the excess of X
ports was 5000. .S75. $50. and in 1900 the excess
Of exports over imports was S544.411, 101. The
contrast in the matter Of excess of exports over
imports may be shown by the fact that the net
excess Of exports over imports in the 107 years
from 1870 10 March 1. 1891 was 1888 OBS 497
while IN the three years from March l, 1897, to
March !, 1900 the excess Of exports i'm
ports amounted to 81 4S3, ,537, ,0a4.
LOW TARIFF AND PROTECTION
During the long period from 1870 to 1874 the
balance Of trade almost constantly
against US. and * took nearly all of the period
from 1874 TO 1897 70 produce sufficient balance
in our favor TO offset the adverse balance accu-
nulated prior to 1874 and this fact accounts
for the small not excess of exports prior to
March !, 1897 as compared with the enormous
excess since that time. Theorists. political
economists and students Of tariffs have raised
the question as 10 whether the almost contin-
uous low tariffs which prevailed with only
sight ipterruptions) prior to 1860 were respon-
sihle for the almost continuous adverse balance
Of trade from 1870 until after the close of the
Civil War But that is not the province OF this
article 70 discuss. II will be left TO others or
u each individual 10 determine that for him
selt though il may not be improper to add
that during the entire fifty years of our
history in which low tariffs have been in
operation imports exceeded exports by more
than 100000 900 while during the ffty-two
years Of the operation Of protective tariffs ex-
Ports have exceeded imports by more than
$500. 100000.
L seems not unreasonab BILE to assume that a
continuation of the conditions which brought
Us this high rank as an exporting country
viii enable US to retain that rank indefinitely
while it IS equally reasonable to believe that
the recent devel ppments may further stimulate
our exports. especially to that great market TO
y hich all nations now turning their eyes
the Orient. Lying in q semi-crcle, of which
Manila is the geographical centre and natural
point Of Distribution are countries containing
more than one-half of the population OF the
world. whose imports amount TO more than
$1,000 100000 a year.