The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-21
COMMERCE OF AMERICA.
A Decrease i'm Imports md an In-
crense in Exports.


| remarkable change has come over the
| commerce of the United States In the
/ decade ending with the calendar year 1850
| The figures of the Treasury Bureau of
! Statistics show that imports. which in 1890
were sS23, 1857 10. were, in 1860. 1929 .052-
1l6, an increase of less than 10 per cent
| in the decade: while the exports, which in
| 1890 were 1857 ,5G2, 54S, were in 1900 81
AIS, 45O.S54 an increase of 72.4 per cent.
! In 1896 the excess OF exports over i'm
| ports was 1864. 800; in 1860 it was $685.
| 99S, 1888.
In our trade relations with the various
, parts of the world the change is equally
striking From Europe we have reduced
our imports in the decade from s474, 0e0,-
| coo to s439, 000. 900, while in the same time
| we have increased our exports from $685.
| coo, 600 TO 81, Ill .00o, 600. From North Amer
| lea imports fell from s15i 900 coo in 1890 to
s13l, 600 in 1900. while our exports to
North America increased during that time
| from 1000 600 20 $202, goo Geo. From
/ South America the imports increased from
| $10l.0GO, GOO in 1880 to S102, 600. OCO in 1900
| while TO South America our exports in
| creased from S35, goo 600 to s41 COO. 600
( From Asia the imports into the United
| States increased from 500. 900, coo in 1890
! to 1923, 100000 in 1900. while to Asia our
/ exports in the same time increased from
| S23 ,G00, 600 to s61. 0GO 0G0. From Oceanic
| the importations in 1890 were S23. 000, 0G0,
| and in 1900 were 1923 900. goo, while to
| Oceania our exports in 1890 were ST ,000,-
| coo, and in 1900 $40 600, COO. From Africa
| importations increased from So, 600 900 in
1890 20 100000 in 1900. and expectations
| to Africa Increased from 81 500. 600 in 1890
| to $22, 600, 600 in 1890
| The changes in the movements to and
| from the continents are due to two grea-
causes: First, the increase in home manu-
| factures which were formerly drawn
| chiefly from abroad; and second the di-
! versiication of products by which mar
/ kets are made for many articles which
| formerly were produced or exported in
| but small quantities. From Europe. to
which We were accustomed to look for
! manufactures, our imports have fallen
over S35. 900 900, while Europe has largely
| increased her consumption of our cotton
seed oil, olecmargarine, paraffin, manu-
features of iron and steel. copper, ard
agricultural machinery. as well as foed-
stuffs and cotton our exports to that grand
division having increased s42s 600, 900
since 1890. From North America the i'm
ports have fallen 500 900. 900. due chiefly
to the falling off of sugar production in
the West Indies, the imports from Cuba
alone having decreased from S5i 900 900 in
1880 to 1921, 600 600 in 1900. To North
America the exports have increased mean
time over 800. Gao. 00O. the growth being
largely manufactures and foodstuifs. a
considerable portion of the latter being
presumably re-exported thence TO Europe.
From South America the imports have 81
creased in quantity, especially in coffee
and rubber. but decreased propOrtionately-
in price so that the total increase in
value in the decade is but $1,000, 600. while
in exports the increase is $500. 600
chiefly in manufactures. From Asia the
importations have increased more than
$50 coo, GOO. the increase being chiefly in
sugar and raw materials required by our
manufac tures. such as silk. hemp. jute
and tin; while to Asia the increase in cur
exports has been nearly $40 000, 600 prin-
cipally in manufactures. and raw cotton.
From Oceania the imports show little
increase, though this is due in part to
the absence of statistics of Importation
from Hawaii in the last half of the year
1900: while to Oceania there is an in
crease in our exports OF more than SEQ
600 COO chiefly in manufac tured articles.
From Africa the increase in imports is
Sc, 900, 900, principally in manufacturers
materials of which raw cotton forms the
most important item. while our exports
to Africa increased meantime 81 900 goo.
chiefly in manufactures.