The sun., 1901-10-09

iOWbAND.
tenn of protective tariff, is also a potent
cause of the growth Of our foreign trade.
1t indicates both our increased ability
to buy and our fostered ability to pro-
duce more than we consume at home.
The development Of our self-supply has
thus grown into power to supply others.
Our imports of raw materials, notably
of silk and of WOOL are evidence of the
growth of our manufactures and mean
decrease of our imports Of manufactured
articles.
Most significant, in this connection,
are the percentages of our relative re-
ports of agricultural products and of our
manufactured goods. As late as 1892, Of
our exports 7S per cent. was in agricul-
tural products and only 16 per cent in
manufactures. In 1901 our manufac-
tured exports had grown to % per cent,
while agricultural products constituted
nearly 65 per cent. of what we sent to
foreign consumers. This again reveals
the tendency of our increasing popula-
tion to consume more of our domestic
staples and our raw materials and to
produce for export surplus of our manu-
factured goods. This is signally illus
trated in the change of character Of our
exports to our largest customer, Great
Britain, which formerly bought agricul-
tural products almost wholly, but which
now buys our manufactured products.
Only in lesser degree is the same true of
our exports to our next largest customer,
Germany.
accompanying the investment of cap-
ltal IN our domestic manufactures. there
IS to be observed as another cause OF the
development of our export trade the eff
ficiency of American labor. This
finds signal illustration in the tale
OF the development of our iron and
steel industries. 1t is because OF
the efficiency of this labor that
although American wages are the
highest in the world, and the consequent
percentage of labor cost the greatest
that American manufactured goods can
compete in the very homes of the for.
egn manufacturer. We have not as yet
acquired the handicap of British labor
for example, that arbitrarily restricts
the productive capacity Of the individual
1t is in the continuance and in the i'm
provement of this cooperative relation
between capital and labor that the future
may look for the maintenance and The
increase Of our power Of competition.
There is an impressive contrast be
tween the gain of 295 per cent. il
onr exports to markets beyond the Pa
cific, to what we call the Orient, bu
what has become our Occident, and th,
increase of only 10 per cent. in our ex
ports to South America. Obviously ou
Pacific coast, and the productive capaci
ty of our continental area, will find ever
larger outlet beyond our expanded west
ern boundaries. But with the construc
ton of an isthmian canal and the deyel
opment of our merchant marine, tw
great features in the Mckinley Roose
welt programme of national growth, tn
United States will acquire its norma
share in the markets of Central an
South America.
Credit for the growth of our eXpor
trade is also due to the steady improve
ment Of our consular service and to tn
prestige in diplomatic position that ha
followed our brief war with Spain. |
cannot be denied, however, that our con
sular system has attained its greater ef
ficiency in spite of, and not because OF
it's continued treatment as means 0
: reward for political service.