The evening times., 1901-10-11
THE STUDY OF COMMERCE.
An Important Work JndetnI<en Mt
the Treasury Department

The systematic study of the Internal
commerce Of the United States undeTta-
ken by the Treasury Bureau Of Statistics
is reported 10 be making such progress
as 10 justify predictions Of its success
and permanent value TO the business.
commercial. and transportation Interests
Of the country. Less than two years ago
serious and systematic attempt was
made 90 establish a system by which the
movement Of great articles could be
measured at certain points, and thus
s0me definite information obtained re-
garding the great and hitherto unmeas-
ured internal commerce Of the United
States
While it is not. Of course. practicable
to record all OF any considerable portion
Of the transactions which enter into in
ternal commerce, a record Of the produc-
ton Of a few leading articles, such as the
various classes Of grain, provisions, cot
ton, coal, Iron, copper. mineral oils. lum-
berr and certain manufactures. their con
centTation at certain great interior cen
tres their transportation to the seaboard,
and redistribution, would prove extremely
valuable. The value Of such record wouId
be materially increased il the figures were
Systematically gathered year by year, and
thus made available for comparative pur-
poses in measuring the growth of internal
commerce, OF which they are representa-
tive factors
1t is with this purpose that the Bureau
OF Statistics has undertaken 20 establish
three distinc. systems by which these
features Of internal commerce may be de
termined and examined: First-The meas
urement OF the movement Of principal ar
ucles entering into the commerce Of the
Great Lakes at every port upon that
great highway Of commerce. SeCOnd-The
concentration at a dozen great internal
centres of the corn, wheat flour. and
other grains provisions live animals. cot
ton. coal, iron. and other minerals, and
their redistribution from those points.
| Third-The concentration at seaboard
points Of certain great articles entering
into domestic commerce.
In two Of these three undertakings the
work had already sufficiently progressed
to give assurance of the entire practica-
| bility of gathering and compiling this in
formation, and Of its great value 10 the
commercial interests Of the country. Ac-
| curate measurements Of the movements
/ into and out Of every port on the Great
| Lakes Of fifteen great articles OF internal
/ commerce are now being made and pre-
sented in classified and tabulated form,
and with them the total movement each
month, and at the close of the season the
business Of each port and OF the lakes
as a whole for the entire season These
figures when published are compared with
/ those of the preceding year, thus measur-
ing not only the movement. but the
growth. The concentration at a dozen
! great interior points Of the leading arti-
IrHr u1-1
ties and in some cases values. is also be
ing recorded each month. and where the
figures for preceding years can be gather
ed comparative statements are being pre-
] scented and with them the records Of the
movements from those points 70 the sea
/ board.
All Of the above data regarding both the
I lake commerce and the concentration az,
and distribution from, the great interior
I cities is now regularly presented IN the
monthly publication Of the Bureau Of sta
/ tistics the Monthly Summary Of Com
merCe and Finance" accompanied by
J such discussion and sIIuua rization as
may serve to increase their practical value
I 20 the general reader or hurried business
Y man. as well as those desiring u thor
| Oughly analyZe these important features
/ OF internal commerce
/ The last Of the three great undertakings
I in the measurement Of internal commerce
/ and its growth is that relating 10 the
/ coastwise movement. CuriOusly the United
I States has never had any system by
I which the cOastwise movements between
I the great cities could be measured The
I population Of the States fronting upon
7 the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf Of Mexico Is
I Oue-hah the total population or the United
1 States. Zach section of that great line
/ OF states has ITS peculiar pToluclS- cotton,
3 coal. iron. lumber. fruits and other food
/ stUfs-and each IS dependent upon the
/ other for many Of these great articles
/ required IN its daily life. As the products
/ Of these sections are concentrated at. and
/ redIstributed from, the coast cities, naf u
I rally a large proportion or the tranSpcr-
/ tatiOu Of these sections Is by water.
Il IS the attempt 20 measure this mari
J time ccas stwise commerce between the cit
I les fronting upon the Gulf and the At
! lautiC scabOard as wei rs that between
I the cities Of the Pacific Coast, that the
J Bureau OF Statistics is now entering upon
/ as the last Of its three great undcrt1k-
/ iugs with reference 20 the measurement
I Of internal commerce The Initial move
I ment In thr work was begun at Balt-
{ more. and has been met with cordial &C.
! operation. not only by the steamship lines
/ Centring there. but by the Leading mer-
l chants ana business men. and also by the
I city authorities The first appeal by the
Bureau Of Statistics for Information To-
/ garding the coastwise commerce Of Bal
4 tImOre and Of that city with olher cities
Z was made TO the steamship lines, but this
Z Information coming 10 the enterpTlsing
| citizens and officials Of Baltimore. they
[ imWediately took steps to cordially coop
[ crate and extend the enquiries 20 many
details which the Bureau Of Statistics had
! not found IL practicable with the limited
3 funds At its disposal 70 undertake AS a
! result steps have been taken for the crea-
I tiou under the city government Of a sta
! tfstIcal bureau. which shall gather data
/ regarding the commerce Of Baltimore and
[ furnish L. the Bureau of Statistics such
Z data M Il requires for use in it's cor1pila-
I ti8u Of the CBastwisc commerce between
I the chain of cities and States of which
] Baltimore and Maryland form an impor-
l taEt part.
This action by the enterprisi1g citizens
/ Of Baltimore. n is believed, viii be follow
3 ed by similar cooperation on the part Oi
/ other cities II is hE the cooperation Of
I tho vessel owners and masters on the
: lakes and II the railroad and tranSpurta-
{ tiOu companies. the commercial bodies
I trade publications and daily newspapers
al the great interior centres that the RU
/ reau Of Statistics mas been able 10 obtain
the data by which IL now measures IN,
I movements in these sections Of the great
articles in question, and with similar co-
/ operation on the coast equal success with
/ reference 70 coastwlse commerce is as
! suTed-
THE PARCELS POST SERVICE.
It's Extension In the Interest %
Mails From Germany Denied.
| d l. SuauIding Acting Secretary OF thi