Evening star., 1900-11-26
A CENTURY GROWTH
INCREASE IN THE COMMERCE. OF
THE UNITED STATES.
Ample Food for Thanksgiving Re-
~
nectiOns In Figures of the
Bureau of Statistics.

gardlng the commerce and affairs Of the
United States in these closing months Of
the year 1900 as compared with condi-
tons at the corresponding date in preced-
ing years. and comparing prosperity in
the United States with that in other coun-
tries.
While the whole world is prosperous, the
tinted states seems to be especially SO.
Our exports show an increase of $166, ,331,-
I'e 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 a 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 these industries must
be very great.
"A very considerable share Of the mate
rails required for use in manufacturing
comes from abroad such, for instance as
india rubber, tin for use in manufacturing
tin plate, hemp, jute, sisal, raw silk, cabi-
net and dyewOodS, chemicals, hides and
skins and certain grades of wool and cot
ton, and by measuring the growth in the
importation of these articles some idea of
the growth in manufacturing may be OBJ
tanned.
The total importation Of materials Of this
class used in manufacturing during the
ten months ending with October 1900, is
SZ5o, I,olS, as compared with S214, 1886, 757
IN the corresponding months of 1899. and
Sl2I,3Ol, ,945 In the same months of 1894
Turning again to the export side, 1t is
round that the expectation of manufac-
lures alone amount, in the nine months
ending with September, 1900, to 336,67s.
243, against $277, ,502,649 in the correspond
ing months of 1899, and S145, 793, ,S34 in the
same months of 1895. Thus the exporta-
ton of manufactures has increased nearly
% 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 increased at very
rapid rate. Exports of manufactures of
iron and steel alone amount to $4,000, 600
In round numbers in the ten months end
ing with October, 1900, against SS6 900, 600
In the corresponding months of 1899 and
S5l .ooO0oo In the corresponding months of
1897, thus having more than doubled in the
three years from 1897 to 1900.
Agricultural Exports.
Not only have the manufacturer and the
millions dependent upon his industry shared
in the prosperity of the year, but those en-
gagged in agriculture and mining seem to
have been equally prosperous, judging from
the record shown by the figures of our ex-
port commerce. The expectation of agri-
ing with October 1900. is in round terms
500 100000, as against s625, 600 in the
same months Of 1899, while the products of
the mine, the forest, and the fisheries also
show an increase in 1900, compared with
the figures of 1899.
This increase in the products Of industry
is especially interesting in the fact that in
many cases it shows a higher reward for a
given quantity of labor, or, in other words,
higher prices received for the article itself
as we'll as an increase in the quantity pro-
duced 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
same months Of the preceding year, while
in other agricultural productions and in va
riOus lines of manufactures, especially those
of iron and steel, and In the produc-s of
the mine, there are increased prices per unit
Of quantity, and thus better earnings for
those who produce them
Comparison With Other Countries.
A comparison of conditions in the United
States with those in other countries as
measured by the foreign commerce. indi-
Gates a degree Of prosperity, which COM
pares favorably with any country Of tie
world. Our own exports for the ten months
ending with October show an increase as
has already been noted. of $168, EN
while in the exports of the united kingdom
while the 1900 figures for Belgium. France
Spain and Italy show no increase in expor-
tations 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 imports
the excess Of exports over imports in the
ten months ending with October being
$499 667 ,936, or greater excess than in he
corresponding period of any preceding year
and a greater excess than that of any other
country Of the world.
Review of the Century.
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 it forms
the closing year. While it is not prac-
ticable, of course, to give the total import
and export 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
with preceding fiscal years running back to
the beginning of the present form of gov
ernment. This table, which shows the I'M
ports and exports and excess of imports
or exports in each year from 1880 to 1900,
is too long to reproduce in full, but it has
been further condensed by the bureau into
a table showing the imports and exports in
ten-year periods from 1880 to 1900, with the
excess of imports or exports in each decen-
nial period.
This table is interesting not alone in Its
presentation of the import and export rec
ord, but especially in its showing relative
to the excess of imports or exports during
the 10 years under consideration. 1t will
be seen by an examination of the final col
umn Of the table which Is presented below,
that imports exceeded exports almost con-
tinuously prior to the decade 1S71-SO, md
that since that time exports have almost
continuously exceeded imports, but that the
excess of exports over imports In the dec
ade just ending 1S91-19OO, is extremely large
as compared with any preceding decade,
while, as already shown, the excess Of ex-
ports over imports in the single year 1900
will also be greater than in any preceding
year in our history. .
The table showing the commerce of the
United States by decennial periods is as
follows: Or.
Excess OF imports
Ten-year Imports Exports or exportsta).
1890
1900. se14 4.s45, 454 S4s7,e475l2 s12s ss7 ,s42
1901 g