The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-04-01
The Years Exports
OF Manufactures

Special Correspondence OF The Tribune
Washington, March Il.
TllE RECORD ri expectation of manufactures
i IRON the United States III the fiscal year
u which ends ninety days hence is not likely
to equal that of the preceding fiscal year,
tor three quite apparent reasons: l. The export
engaged in commerce with the Hawaiian
islands are now refusing to furnish to the bu.
rcau ot statistics the statements of their ex-
ports in former wears, holding that their ex-
ports are no longer "folcign commerce. and
that therefore the bureau has no authority to
require the usual statements which the law
lIiorizes with reference to commerce between
the United States and foreign countros. >. The
exports to Porto Rico are separately classi.
fed and no longer included in the general
statement Of foreign commerce. g. The exports
to China have temporarily fallen off one-half by
OF the unsettled conditions in that country
The total exports to the Hawaiian islands in
the fiscal year 1900 were thirteen and one.liilf
million dollars, and to Porto Rico over four and
cnc'hali millions, total OF more than eighteen
million dollars. The shipments to Porto Rico in
the present fiscal year show large increase over
last year. and presumably tso,. TO Hawaii have
also increased: but neither of these is in.
clIdcd in the export figures OF our foreign
melcc, IL is apparent that more than twenty mil
lion dollars OF actual shipments from our ports
in the fiscal year 1901 will not be included in the
general statement ot exports to foreign countries.
When to this is added the further fact that the
exports to China which in the last fiscal year
were over $l5000,OO in value, have been tenn.
poraily cut down hall, it is apparent that the
wears figures ol exports 10 foreign countries will
not furnish iiir or ilisr basis FOR comparison
or for measurement Of tho general growth OF our
export trade.
Tie total exports Tor the eight months ending
with February, 1901, show increase OF more
than Soj,0o0,000 over last year, but those Of
manufactures alone show but slight increase,
aud there is reason to believe that the recorded
total OF manufactures Tor the iull fiscal year will
lor the above stated reasons, rall somewhat be.
low that ot the preceding year. This is due to
the iact that 4 large proportion OF our exports
TO Hawaii, Porto Rico ana China are manulac.
lures, and that the apparent reduction, Tor the
reasons above explained, in the Hawaiian aud
Porto Ricqn figures and the real reduction in
the exports to China by reason ot temporary
conditions, therefore relates almost exclusively 10
the class ol exports designated manufactures.
Another condition which has tendency TO reduce
the total value oi exports of manufactures Is
found in the fact that prices oi manufactured
articles in many cases have fallen because Of the
reduction III the cost OF the raw material from
which they were produced, and that the eXpo,.
t4tion oi an equal or even greater quantity sup.
plies smaller figure in the statement OF values
Il. which tie export movement is necessarily
It aSurcd
II is quite probable, in view Of tic facts
above outlined, that the record OF exports Of
domestic manufactures in the fiscal years 1901
may show apparent reduction, though the
tact that more than sao,tO0oo0 worth OF actual
shipments from our ports which were formerly
counted as foreign commerce no longer appears
IN these statements Will account for the reduc-
tion which will thus be more apparent than real.