Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-12-24
REDUCTION OF EXPORTS.
Cause Found in the Omission of Porto
Rican Statistics.

Washington, Dec 24.--That the reduc-
ton in expectations OF manufactures is
largely due to reduced prices and alb
sence of data on the commerce with
Hawaii and Porto Rico is apparent from
some figures just compiled by the treas
ury bureau of statistics. The reduction
in the total value of exports OF manu-
features is, as has already been stated,
chiefly in iron and steel, copper and
mineral OIL The reduction in mineral
Oil now amounts to about $4,000 600 in
the eleven months ending with Novem-
Der, while in quantity exported there
has been an actual increase of 100000
gallons, as compared with the eleven
months of 1900. In exports of wire dur
ing the ten months ending with October
the value Of the exports shows u de-
crease, while the quantity has during
that time increased over 1l,000,000
pounds, az compared with the same
period last year. OF locomotives there
is an increase in the number actually
exported and a decrease in value
amounting to nearly 100000. OF bar
iron the average export price per pound
in the ten months OF 1901, compared
with the corresponding months of 1900
shows a decrease of 90 per cent; wire
rods, a decrease in price per pound of
over "a per cent; billets, ingots and
blooms. over IL per cent reduction in
price; steel rails, a reduction of 10 per
cent in price per ton; tin plates, re-
duction of 70 per cent in price per
pound; structural iron and steel, 3 per
cent; cut nails, IL per cent; wire. 16
per cent and other articles of iron and
steel show about the same rate of re-
duction in prices per unit of quantity
Among all the articles Of iron and steel
exported in which quantities as we'll as
values are given, and an opportunity
thus afforded to determine the export
price per pound, about three-fourths Of
them show reduced prices per pound,
ton, or other unit of quantity.
The fact that none Of the merchan-
disc sent to the Hawaiian islands or
Porto Rico have been included in the
statement of exports to foreign coun-
tries also takes away from the statis-
tics Of manufactures exported about
SIS, 00O, 900, which would be included II
the methods followed in former years
when Hawaii and Porto Rico were for
eign territory were applied at the
present time. Estimates by the bureau
of statistics based upon statements OBJ
tanned regarding shipments between
the United States and these island dur
ing the present year put the value of
the exports to Hawaii in the ten
months ending with October at about
s24, 000, 900. and to Porto Rico at $6.500,-
900. making It apparent that our ex-
ports to those islands in the ten months
In question amount to about $4,000 1000;
while an examination Of the class OF
merchandise exported to them in for
mer years indicates that more than
one-half is manufactures. This would
indicate that considerable share of the
apparent reduction in our exports OF
manufactures is due to the absence OF
statistics of shipments Of manufactures
to those islands. the exports to which
were formerly included in the state
ments of our foreign commerce. Add
to this the facts shown In the above
statements regarding the reduction IN
export prices of iron and steel and min
eral oil, and large proportion of the
apparent reduction in exports Of manu-
features is accounted for.