The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1902-02-22
OUR FOREIGN COMMERCE.
A Review of the Foreign Commerce
of the United States For
the Year 1901.
IS SHOWS THE PACE OF The COUNTRY.
rhe United states Successfully COM
netting. i'm Foreign Countries,
With Their Particular speciai-
ties-Rensons Adduced For Fnii-
ing on of American Exports

WASHINGTON, Feb. 19.-The impor-
tant document entitled Review OF the
Foreign Commerce of the uniteu
States in 1901" showing the pace at
which this country ran, during the
last calendar year, in the great race
for supremacy in trade in the worlds
markets. has been made public by
Frederic Emery, chief of the bureau
of foreign commerce of the state de-
partment.
1t it stated that the commercial re-
ports of our diplomatic and consular
OFF ers. last year, record continued
or 9Th in the sales of many lines OF
mr fractures from the United states
in .1reign markets and the increase
of he general concern throughout
Europe as to the possible results OF
our industrial competition. Although
the figures of our exports, compiled
by the treasury department, show
considerable falling of in the total
value of manufactured goods sent
abroad, it is stated there seems to be
a steady and uninterrupted spread in
the popularity of what may be
termed american novelties" all over
Europe. BY the word novelties are
meant not only labor-saving nipple
ments and machinery, which are
strange to most Europeans, but
great variety of articles of merchan-
disc, all Of which possess distin-
guished points of excellence and reIa-
tive cheapness, new to Europe, which
commend them to purchasers there
in preference to similar articles of
home manufacture. In other words,
while the aggregate of our exports
Of manufactured goods has shrunk,
the variety of our sales in Europe is
being extended, and the territory up
on which they are encroaching is be-
ing constantly enlarged.
A striking example of this is in
neutrality-suspicious. imports from
the United States are increasing rap
idly. That country originated the
idea of an European combination
against America in trade, and there
the hostility Of the Industrial classes
i, most pronounced, The United
States again heads the list Of coun-
tries selling to Germany, and is caus-
ing the economists of that nation
much concern. Indeed, il is pointed
out, this same concern Is felt in
France Great Britain, Belgium, Swift
erland, and the other highly-deycl-
oped manufacturing countries of Eu-
rope 1t is shown TO be fact that
we are now supplying European ma
tons with goods which have for
years been distinctive of the coun-
tries themselves and which we used
~ import from them. We export
silk to France, tin plate TO Wales,
cottons to England and our California
fruit is making such Roadway in
Spain rs to provoke the query in II
Spanish newspaper: shall we live
TO see American oranges on the Va
lenCia market itself?' In Belgium,
more American goods are being con-
sumed than ever before.
The falling of in American exports
Il attributed, not to the goods being
In less favor, but rather TO business
depression in Europe, affecting the
purchasing power, The elimination
of Hawaii and Porto Rico from the
list Of countries TO which we export,
uso Is factor. The treasury fig
ures show that during the calendar
year there was II falling OFF Of $l2,-
5jj,l0i compared with the previous
| year, manufactures falling Off $i6,-
2G2,0l2, but being Offset by gain in
agricultural exports Of S3j,50l on,
Mr., Emery says It is evident that "thc
American invasion" of Europe has
ceased for the time being to be Of
that sweeping character that distin-
guishcd it at first rs an economic
! Il,