The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-04-09
AMERICAN GOODS ABROAD.
A state Department Review of tbe
WORLDS Commerce.

n ototc department HeNteW OF B-e
Worlds Commerce.
The State Department has Just given out
a summary Of Review OF the Worlds
Commerce" a publication TO be issued
within a short time. The statement says
that the foreign trade OF the United States
during the past year has increased 10 a
greater extent than the most saa%uine
prophet had hoped for The gain has been
steady and substantial American mer-
chants and manufacturers, the summary
points cut. have owed large degree Of
their success TO the superiority OF Ameri-
can made goods II calls attention TO the
excellent work being performed by the
consular agents abroad in securing valua-
bic information for American manufactur-
ers and merchants. and in introducing
American made goods into foreign coun-
tries The summary in part follows:
since the date OF the last annual rey,ew
OF reports from consular and diplomatic
O1hcefs upon the Industries and commerce
OF foreign countries, the commercial eX-
pansiOH Of the United States. which was
then February. 1891 described as having
passed the boundaries of speculation and
experiment, has proceeded at q Pare which
has exceeded the expectations Of even those
who were most c,nfideut Of a great devel-
opment Of our export trade.
The broad lesson 70 be drawn from the
reports OF the consular officers and the data
obtained from Othec sources as summarized
in the following review would seem 10 be
this: That neither the products OF our
agriculture. our forests, and our mines nor
those OF our workshops and factories have
argr "a HFHr
their distiu guished merits and that the
only danger they have 20 face is a falling
of in the Standard either through care
lessnees or the mistaken desire to obtain
larger profits BY lowering the quality The
reason American cSttoEs have obtained and
held conceded superiority in the markets
Of China and East Africa is because they
have been found by the natives TO be more
durable than competing cloths. and the
same reputation maintained in other lines
OF goods would seem TO be the best guar
anty for tho permanent and healthfei
growth Of our foreign trade.
During the calendar year 1899. accord
ing TO the figures Of the Treasury De-
partment she domestic exports OF the
United States amounted 70 81. 252. 9C3 9S1.
against 81 25a .5JS l40 in 1898. The per
centage Of manufactured products WIS
1888 in 1899 24.96 in 1898: Of agricultural
products. 62-42 in 1899. 69.9G in 1898. Of
mineral products. 2.65 in 1893 zoo in 1855.
OF forest products. IS in 1Sss. 3.l6 in 1885,
Of fishery products 0.45 in 1899. O41 Ia
1898. 1t will be seen that the gain was
most marked in manufactured goods. and
the Increase is the more significant from
the fact that IL synchronizes with a gen
eral revival Of Industrial activity in Eu-
rope. showing that We were able 40 hold
our own in an intensified competition in
the worlds markets and with a greatly
increased consumption at home OF iron and
steel. which were being exported in in
creasing quantities during the period OF
our commercial depression. Our total i'm
ports during the calendar year 1899 were
valued at SlsS. Sf5.57I. against S634 S64. AS
Ia lSSS. an increase OF nearly Si64 600 900.
Annoying the Treasury figures We find
thai be .2errcntage Of imports free Of duty
was f5-Sl i'm lSss. 1926 in 1855. OF articles
In crude condition which enter into the
various processes OF domestic industry.
53f5 Ia 1883 3l.S5 IN IS9S. OF articles Who'll
y or partially manufactured for Use as
materials in the manufacturers and me
chanic arts. 90 IN 1899 S.3i in 1898.
/ There was q drop in the percentage Of ar
. ticles manufactured reaIy Tor consump-
. ton from l6-5 ne 1885 TO l4-9 in 1899 al
Z though there VAS an increase from 1876 10
! 1915 IN articles Of voluntary use. luNu-
/ riCS. etc. In other words. it would ap-
4 pear that We are importing more foreign
materials for use iu our Industries and
/ less OF finished manufactures, with slight
gain in our consumption OF foreign Iuxu-
! riss'-a condr ion Of things attesting a
Z steadily widening Industrial activity. with
substantial results in a general Increase
ot oUr national prosperity and purchasing
power.
An examination Of The Treasury figures
OF exports and imports by articles for the
calendar years Of 1898 and 1899. which pre-
cede the summary Of consular reports By
countries ia this review. will sto W
large increases in the export Of most OF
I the important articles OF manufacture
such as agricultural implements. cotton
goods electrical supplies. ard apparatus
Z for scientific purposes, manufacturers OF
lion aud steel. including hardware. ma
! chineTy Of various kinds, cash registers
( Woodworking machines. printing presses
pumps and pumping machinery. sewing
machines. locomotive and other stem en-
! gines. typewTitinE machines. nails and
spikes. pipes and fittings. stoves. etc.
leather and leather goods Of an kinds
vegetable oils. lumber furniture. house
{ Gnishings OF wood. etc. The total export,
I Of railway cars and other vehicles fell OF
from Sl6Sj9. T12 in 1SSS to 81. Ss6. l5s il
{ 1893 bat this is explained BY tho heavy
I decline in cycles Gncluded under tails head,
ingl from S1.GS2 49, in 1895 to 4S20. SSf IN
1899 The sales abroad Of railway cars and
other vehicles. except cycles. rose from
s.. So. 5l5 In 1898 20 s. 036. l69 vehicles. ex-
cegt cycles. rose from s., S6T,515 in 1898 tC
s.. 036l 69 in 1883"