Omaha daily bee., 1902-12-04

151, 457. In iron and steel alone the impor-
tation of articles partly or wholly manu-
featured increased 50, 3O5, ASS, bringing the
total imports of iron and steel manufactures
to a point higher than at any time since
1898. The increase OF $50, Jas, 1888 in i'm
portations has brought the total import fg-
ures Of the year tosa point higher than
ever before, the total value of importations
of 1902 beiLg 5000, 32O,9 4S. against $3.50, AGO.
922 in 1898, the highest record Of preceding
years. This increase, as already noted, oc-
ours chiefly in manufacturers materials.
Trade with Dependencies.
The with the noucontiguous ter
ritory Of the United States shows a very
rapid and gratifying growth. The receipts
OF merchandise from Porto Rico in 1902
we're IS, 297, 422. against 1871, 024 in 1897.
and the shipments to that island in 1902
were $40, 10, 444, against 81, 1888 ,SSS in 1897.
the year prior to the assumption Of control
of that island by the United States. From
the Hawaiian islands the receipts Of mer-
chandise were s24, 700, 429, against S1S, 6S7, 100
in 1897, and the shipments to the islands
in 1909 are estimated at $40, 000, 900, against
s4,69O, O75 in 1897. From the Philippine
islands the receipts Of merchandise
were $6,612, 700, against $4,SS3,740 in
AShAn NA0 49, o. oaAR ~
islands in 1902 were s., 25S, 47O, against s94,-
597 In 1897. Combining the figures of COM
merce with the three groups OF islands
Porto Rico. Hawaii and the Philippines
the figures show total receipts of mer-
chandise from the Islands in 1902, $780,
Clio, SOL, against $50, 252. 563 in 1897. and total
shipments to the islands in 1902. $34.977 GA,
against s ,77S,560 in 1891; while the exports
TO all Asia and oceania, including the
Hawaiian islands, were S117, 2O2, 11S in 1902.
against S61, 1927, SIS in 1897. Thus the ex-
ports to the islands have increased more
than fourfold, and those to all Asia and
oceania nearly doubled since 1897, while
the total exports have in the same time in
creased less than so per cent. Under the
recent act of congress, approved April 20,
1902. authorizing the collection of statistics
Of commerce between the United States
and It's noncontiguous territories, a full
statement OF the commerce with all such
territory under the control of the United
States, including Alaska, is now being col
lected and compiled, and, indicates that
the markets supplied the producers OF the
United States by these noncontiguous terri
tories now aggregate over $40, 900, 900 per
annum.
Ia Currency.
Any coin that the government gratuit-
ously and in unlimited quantity coins for
the bullion owper will be worth exactly
the same as the material Of which It is
produced.
In 1898 there were outstanding, roundly,
s46.OOO,OOO in United States notes and s147,-
100000 In treasury notes. all redeemable in
coin, and the cheapest coin In which these
notes could have been redeemed was worth
"a cents in gold. There was also $3.50, 00O,-
900 national bank notes, payable in lawful
money" and therefore liable to be dis
charged in silver worth 81 cents. There
was also outstanding 42O, OOe, 600 silver dol
lars worth the same. There was there
fore. approximately. in the aggregate, $780,
100000 Of unprotected hat in, these three
forms OF money. Since that time United
States notes and treasury notes have been
made rcdeemable by law in gold. but the
present NATIONAL bank issue Of $3.50 900, 600
is payable in layfdl money. which includes
silver, worth not 81 cents. but SO cents, and
there are now outstanding $50, 900, 900 silver
dollars worth 80 cents each in gold. The