The Washington times., 1901-08-19
Our Trade With Germany.

The reason for the commercial i'll
feeling that has recently developed in
Germany toward the United States is
very strongly suggested by the figures
showing the trade relations between the
two countries. For the year ending
June 30, 1901 our imports from the Ger
man Empire We're, in round numbers,
one hundred millions of dollars, and
cur sales to the same country were one
hundred and ninety-one millions, leav-
ing a balance in our favor OF ninety
one millions. This. however, standing
by itself. does not tell the story. We
must begin further back.
If we start with 1870. we find that our
imports from Germany We're twenty
seven millions of dollars. These in
creased steadily until 1890. when they
amounted to ninety-eight millions
Since the last named year-that is to
say, for a full decade-they have been
virtually at a standstiIl In 1891 they
were ninety-seven millions; IL 1892,
eighty-two millions; in 1888, ninety-six
millions; in 1894. sixty nine millions: in
1885, eighty-one millions; in 1926. nine
ty-four millions; in 1897, one hundred
and eleven millions; in 1898. sixty -nine
millions; in 1899. eighty-fcur millions.
in 1900, ninety-seven millions; and for
the last fiscal year, hundred millions.
the average for the eleven years being
ninety-two millions. or six millions less
than in 1880.
Turning to our exports, we observe
that for the year 1870 we sold Germany
forty-two million dollars worth OF
goods. In 1890 this total had risen to
eighty-five millions. Thus we see that
during the twenty years under consid-
Grafton our purchases from Germany
increased more than two hundred per
cent. while our sales to that country
barely increased one hundred per cent
But during the last eleven years the
figures tell very different tale. As al
ready shown, the purchases from Ger
many have remained almost stationary,
there being. upon an average, a decline
rather than a gain; while our sales in
that country have very much more
than doubled, the most marked increase
being during the last five years. A
summary Of these years may be inter
esting. In 1886. our sales TO Germany
were ninety-seven millions of dollars;
in 1887. one hundred and twenty-five
millions; in 1885. one hundred and fifty
five millions; in 1899, one hundred and
nftyfive millions; in 1900. one hundred
and eighty-seven millions. and during
the last fiscal year one hundred and
ninety-one millions.
These figures are literally startling,
and it is small wonder that Germany
views the situation with alarm. a very
large portion of this increase has been
in cereals and other foodstuffs This
may, in a general way. be ascri5ed to
TWO principal causes. namely, crop con-
ditions in that and other countries. and
the revival Of industry. which appeared
in Germany about the beginning OF 1886.
But the increase in manufactured prod
ucts has also been very marked. Agri-
cultural implements have increased
from little more than half a million
dollars in 1885 to more than two and a
half millions in 1901; copper from a
million and a half in 1885 TO nearly
eight millions in 1901; and machinery
from a million and half to more than
eight millions in 1900. These are the
items which are awakening the gravest
spprchensions in Germany.
The demand OF the Agrarians for
higher duties on agricultural products
is purely a matter of cold FLOODED self
ishncss on the part Of that class; but
the attitude OF the manufacturers is
both reasonable and just. AS we have
seen. sine 1890 they have not been able
TO raise in the smallest degree the
amount of their sales to America. First
the Mckinley tariff and then the Ding
ley law have effectually shut them out.
At the same time our manufacturers
have been invading the German mar
ket at most alarming rate, the total
having risen from less than four million
dollars In 1895 10 some eighteen or TWEEN
~ millions in 1901. This tremend Gus
growth Of our exports of manufactures
closely comedies with the era of the
astounding trust development in this
country. Between the trusts and the