The sun., 1901-10-09
BY AMOS X. FIsKE.

and where we imported about $3,500,UW
worth in 1870. it amounted to nearly
S15.O00,000 in 1890 and over S3O,OO0OoD
in 1000, being somewhat less in the
last year. Take hides and skins, as
among the materials which we both pro
duce and import largely. The amount
imported in 1890 was valued ut $21 $751;
SS6. and in 1900 at $57,92d,99S, falling
to S4S,220, 193 in 1901. OF raw WOOL
we were importing in 1870 less than
S7,000,000 worth. In 1890 the value was
S15,264 ,0S3, in 1895 $25, ,55G, ,421. in 1899
$500, ,S97, in 1900 over $40, 000,0O and
in 1901 $12,520,S81. The fluctuations
correspond in n measure with the home
production, which is supplemented BY
foreign wool. but more with the ups and
downs of the manufacturing industry.
The general increase in the Importation
of raw materials, mainly Of kind that
we do not produce, indicates an increase
Of manufacturing industry in the ines
using such materials, and is accompanied
by dimnntion in the volume Of manu-.
factured articles imported. which has
fallen off heavily in certain lines, espc.
cially those of iron and steel. wool and
silk. What our import trade in general
plainly shows is that, with tertain exccn
tions, We are not only supplying ourselves
with food and the raw materials Of man
nfacture, but are more and more com.
pletely meeting our own wants with man
ufactnred articles aud objects of luxury
and voluntary use. The general tend
ency appears still more consp' cuouS,y IN
the statistics Of export III the last decade.
The total of our exports in 1891 was
$SS4. .4SO,S10, of which, according to the
official grouping of the Bureau of Sta
tstics, products Of agriculture stood for
S642, ,751 ,344, or 7I.51 per cent: domes-
tic manufactures, S16S,927 .315. or 1917
per cent; mining. So .05i. $40 or 2.53
per cent; forest, S2S.715,713, or 345 per
cent; fisheries, S6,20S.5T1. or II per
cent; miscellaneous, 3.i12,3tI, or Al
per cent. The change in ten years is
very significant. The figures for the last
fiscal year. 190n19O1, are: Total exports
of domestic merchandise 81, AGO, ,553, 800
products OF agriculture, S9Iia19,56S. OF
64.64 per cent; manufactures. S41O.5 800
lf3, or ISL per cent: mining. $50, ,267 ),
641, or 2.69 per cent; forest. S54 81 2S30
or BIZ per cent; fisheries, S1,I43.313 oi
.53 per cent; miscellaneous. 81, ,3G1 ,21S
or 81 per cent. The significant change
is in the proportion of agricultural and
manufactured products. 1t appears still
greater if we compare the two years 1S9.
and 1900 the former showing the largest
expectation besore the reaction of 1888
and the latter the elimination of the en-
ergetic movement which followed the re
covery of 1867. In 1892, iii the tota
exports of 81 ,030, ,27S, 1iS. products o
agriculture figured at ST9S,32S. 232, o
? 1876 per cent, and domestic manufac
lures al $155.5lO,937 or 15.7 per cent
In 1900 the total was S1,394 ,lT9214, o.
which $685., ,912952 or iO.99 per cent.
consisted Of agricultural products, IN,
:. $432, 2S4 1866, or 31.5T per cent, Of man
ufacturcd articles. This exhibits tn,
! tendency to use up, to IN increasing ex
: tent, at home, our food supplies and raw
materials, and to produce Il surplus 0
: manufactured goods for foreign markets
This appears more conspicuously if "
i sean closely the most important items .
i, our exports. Naturally cotton, bread
4 stnffs and provisions still hold the frs
places. They are articles for which El
ropean countries depend largely upon us
and of which we constantly produce
y generous surplus. Our export Of cottO
" in 1891 amounted to 500 S9S and i
n 1901 to S3l3,i73,4 443 the gain ben
y partly due to a higher price in the latte
~ year. The item of hreadstuffs i'll 1S9
nc was $13S, 121 ,G56. and i'll 1901 it wa
10 $2I5,59,61s. Provisions, comprisin
oa meat and dairy products. figured Il
n S159,S5S,546 in 1901 and S196,9aS, ,S1S
'e 1901. But if we look 1T the exports q
pu manufactures we find more importar
oi variation in the figures, Our total o,
o. ports of iron and steel not including or,
", were $2S,909614 in 1891 and S117,3lg
w. 80 in 1901. In 1900 they amounted /
Us nearly S122, 100000. In the manufactur,
o1 Of copper the advance was from S4.G14
ue 597 to $57,S51, ,707 in 1900 and S43. oG7
az O21 in 1901. There was II gain in the i,
- port of manufactures of wood from ST
re 9SI322 in 1891 to S11 ,23U,97S in 100
oi and Sll,G97,o42 in 1901. AEricultur;
're instruments are claSsed apart. and ii
~ =, amount exported in the last fiscal yei
~ was S16,3l3,43I, against Sa,219. 1870 Il
~ wears before. Leather and leather coo,
figured in our exports last wear nj So7
9l3,Ga', against St32ISSi7 IN 1Sg
nrt Chemicals, drugs dyes and mo1icin,
Ms, increased from S54M7St to ST 1854 Ill