Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-31

ports, the so-called balance of trade. An
| excess OF exports is regarded as indicating
prosperity. Yet, Independently considered,
] nothing could be more misleading. In order
| to ascertain the significance Of this relation
| 1t is necessary to consider a number or cir
| cumstances. chief among which are the con-
| dition Of the country In question. whether
debtor or creditor country, In which con-
nection the income derived from loans and
| investments in other countries, as well as
| from shipping engaged in International car
rying trade, must be taken into account:
| the stage Of development; the quality OF
| imports and the uses to which they are ap-
piled, particularly whether they be raw ma
| terial to be utilized In manufacture, or other
material to be employed in increasing the
productive power of the country. In the
| final analysis. the comparative utility OF
that which Is received and that which Is
disposed OF must be determined, regardless
! OF valuations
After due allowance has been made for all
the modifying circumstances and excep-
tions, the fact remains that a country i'm
porting largely in excess Of its exports,
when such excess is not derived from the
income of surplus accumulated in the
past. or is not devoted to development for
| the future, gives sign Of economic decay.
Excess Conditions.
The annual excess of imports in coun-
tries furnishing commercial statistics is
more than one billion Of dollars. This ex-
cess, though made up partly Of carrying
charges and profits Of trade, where these
items are counted in the valuation Of i'm
ports. can only be explained by the SUI
perior utility Of commodities in the coun-
tries into which they are imported. factor
which necessarily influences valuations.
The phenomenal excess Of exports of the
United States during recent years can only
be explained by realizing that we have
gained new position as the purveyor Of
the worlds wants. 1t is impossible that
this great disparity Of exports can con-
tinue. There is an inevitable tendency
whenever nation obtains great accretions
of wealth to increase purchases abroad. In
the last two years the excess has been
diminishing, but other favorable indications
appear in the relation between exports and
imports, such as the increased proportion
Of raw material imported for manufacture
ing. In our foreign trade, as well as in
all other ways, all signs point to the as
sured supremacy of the United States.
Tropical Development.
Mr.. o. P. Austin, chief of the bureau Of
statistics of the Treasury Department., pre-
scented Tropical Development a Necessity
of the Worlds Progress
The principal suggestions Of Mr.. Austin 8
paper were:
That the increasing population Of the
world and the increasing facilities for trans
portation require that its various sections
shall contribute their proper proportion to
the requirements of man.
That the world, and especially the tenn
perate zones, is constantly increasing Its
demands for tropical and subtropical prod
ucts.
That although the belt lying between the
Both parallels of north and south latitude
contains practically half the land area Of
the world. it contributes but one-sixth Of
the exports which enter into the interna-
tional commerce of the world.
That conditions in the temperate zones are
fol
energy and experience which may now be
devoted to the development of the tropics.
That recent discoveries for the protection
Of life and health in the tropics and the use
of natural power will now enable temperate
zone man to accomplish many things In the
tropics not possible in earlier years.
That those sections of the tropics in which
the native labor supply Is insufficient may
be readily supplied with the necessary
amount Of tropical labor from India, south
ern China and other sections Of the orient
whose populations have shown themselves
capable of and willing to labor in the
tropics.
That the development Of comparatively
recent years has brought practically all Of
the tropics, except tropical America, under
control of temperate-Zone countries, thus
facilitating the application in the tropics of
the capital and energy of temperate-zone
man.
Mechanical Science.
Elwood Mead, a consulting civil engineer
of this city, gave talk on agricultural
engineering. He said the conditions Of
farm life and farm labor in the United
States have undergone a revolution in the
past fifty years. The shorter hours Of la
Dor and conditions of life in factories Is
having it's influence on farm work. The
farmer is compelled to do as the factories
have done, substitute power for hand la
Dor and use the most effective implements
and machines. Application of power to
farm work Is taking new and significant
form through the use of steam, gas and
electricity substitutes for animal pow
er. Increasing Importance of this evolution
has attracted the attention OF European
countries where institutions for the study
and improvement of farm machinery are
supported by the state.
1.-The Drainage problems Of Irrigation"
by c. G. Elliott, was also presented. A new
problem confronts the owners of irrigated
lands, said Mr.. Elliott. The leakage from
canals and over-irrigation by users Of water
have destroyed the productiveness of land
by producing saturation of soils in certain
localities and resulting alkaI conditions.
Well-directed drainage operations will re-
claim such lands and protect those which
are threatened with the evil.
Theory, Construction and Use of a
Pressure-tube Anemometer' was described
by A. F. Zahm. A pressure-tube anometer
is an instrument by which the accuracy Of
this instrument for measuring the velocity
of air currents Is established.
1.-THE Mechanical Problems of New Ore
producing Territory" by c. A. Waldo. This
paper referred to an extended study of the
problems incident to the development of
newly recognized mineral district in north
west Oklahoma.
officers Of Physical Society.
The American Physical Society held a
short business session in the upper lecture
room of the Columbian University building,
when, preceding the program Of lectures,
the following officers were elected: Arthur
G. Webster, president: Elihu Thomson,
vice president; Ernest Merritt, secretary;
William Hallock, treasurer; w. F. Magic
and E. H. Hall, members Of council.
The program of the scientists for this
evening includes:
The annual dinner Of the American So
ciety of NaturaIists will be held at the
Carroll Institute, 900 10th street northwest,
and the dinner will be followed by the an
nual address Of the president, Prof. ]. Nick.
Cattell
Mrs. Chas D. Walcott. 2117 street. will
give a tea at o'clock to visiting ladies Of
the association, and to the members Of the
Geological Society Of America.
The annual dinner Of the Geological So
ciety Of America will be held at the New
Willard Hotel.