Omaha daily bee., 1903-06-15
RECORD IN COTTON EXPORTS
Value Of Crop Sent Gut Of Country Larger
Than Ever Before.
QUANTITY ONLY TWICE EXCEEDED
Fourth Assistant Postmaster General
BristOw says Plan of
Rural Free Delivery would
Cost SIOO,OOO,OOO n Year.
(From a stan Correspondent

From a Stan Correspondent
WARRINGTON, June 14-(Special.)-Cot-
ton is still king in the export records of the
United states, and its record In the present
year is likely to surpass that of any pre-
ceding year. The value of raw cotton ex-
ported in the eleven months ending with
May Is, according to the preliminary figures
of the treasury bureau of statistics, $685.
Hi,C95, which is $4,000 IN excess of the
highest eleven months record ever hereto
fore made. Two years ago the figures
reached 1908. 1851. Should the June figures
equal those of June in the Immediately. pre-.
ceding years the total for the fiscal year
would be S31?, Noo,OOO, or 100000 in excess Of
the banner year 1901.
The quantity exported this year is not as
great as that of the years 1898 and 1S0a,
however. The total quantity exported IN
the eleven months ending with May is 3, 49,
$685. I pounds. against hos, 81, AS pounds in
the corresponding months Of 1901 and 3.721,.
10000 pounds in the eleven months of 1905,
when TIE value was but 1929, 414, 1SO. Thus
the total quantity at the present time Is
2p.0O0,0O pounds less than that of the cor
responding eleven months in 1898, but the
value is SS6, 200, coo IN excess of the value
for the corresponding period OF that year.
The average price per pound of the cotton
exported, determined by dividing the
number of pounds into the value stated by
the bureau of statistics records. is for the
eleven months ending with May, 1903, s.s7
cents, and for the eleven months ending
with May, 1895, 5.97 cents.
Comparing the total values Of cotton ex-
ported with those Of preceding years 1903
seems likely to show the largest total value
in raw cotton exports Of any year in the
history Of our commerce. In 1S4s the total
value Of raw cotton exported was, in round
terms, 500, 900. 900; in 1860, S192, OO0. 900: in 1870.
so2EOOO,O in paper. but s1S4. 900. eco stated in
gold; In 1850. s211, 900. coo: in 1890. O,OOO.O 900:
in 1900, S2I2. 900. 900; in 1901, 1913. 900, 900, and. as
already indicated, seems likely to be for
1903, 1917, 900, 900.
Some Other Tail Figures.
Meantime the value of cotton exported in
manufactured form has also increased. and
Will make its highest record in the present
fiscal year.
AT the same time the cotton manufactur-
ers OF the United States have Increased and
are still increasing their consumption of
cotton both from our own fields and from,
abroad. The total number of bales taken bv
the mills of the United States last wear for
the first time passed the 1000 900 line. the
figures being 4.OSS,OOO bales, against s,644Ooo
In 1900.
The importations of foreign cotton
chiefly Egyptian. are also growing with re-
markable rapidity. the importations IN the
present year being likely to reach o.OOO. oO0
pounds. to which may be added 20 oo Oo
pounds Of "hocks," or cotton waste. with a
total valuation of about $12, 900, 900. against
4~3,OOO,OOO pounds of raw cotton and "a Om
pounds of waste imported in 1898, valued at
less than 100000.
What Rural Delivery Costs.
I continue the rural free delivery SER
vice upon the lines laid down bv former
Superintendent A. w. Machen would cost
the government $1Oo. OO0.OOO annually" was
the startling statement made by Fourth
Assistant General Bristow IN
The Bee today. THE rural free deliverv
service with its army of carriers reminds
me OF the old Roman way by which am
bluous soldiers and statesmen were ele-
waited to place and power. Conuuerinq
soldiers returning from the wars now ana
then distributed corn to the Roman peonle
and by that means rode into power. Tbis
rural free delivery business reminds ms
very much OF the distribution of corn nrac-
ticed in the days when the Roman emnire
ruled the world"
MT brlstoW is not an enthusiastic exno-
nent of the rural free delivery system. He
frankly states that 1t was a mistake To
establish it upon the lines adopted. He ad-
mits' however, that undoubtedly II has
come to stay, that the people having had
a taste of luxury in the way of baytna
their mail delivered at their own eateu,aS
will insist upon retaining it. General Rris.
tow frankly says that II would be fool,sh
to night public sentiment, but he believes
that the wholesale establishment of ruraI
routes to please some senator or manhar
OF congress should be curtailed and that
when a rural route is hereafter estah
lished 1t should have merit behind A. A.
soon as the investigation which no ba. a.
charge is at an end It is predicted 80
there win be a complete reorsanIzat to- -
the rural free delivery service and a nrn
Der Of heads are expected to fall into the
basket.
Uncle SANS Growing Business.
The vastness of the business done bv the
government of the United States IS ne
yond comprehension unless brought home
to the people through the medium of q
tabulated statement. Auditor William n
Andrews OF the Treasury department ubo
has seen the business of the governuapt
grow as no other man has who has occun,ed
a similar position. has preared for The Rea
a statement Of the number of accounts and
amounts involved In the settlements made
by the various divisions of the auditors
office for eleven months Of the present
fiscal year. While the figures are approx
mated, they will not, II is believed. differ
very materially when the auditor comes IN
make up his account at the close of the
present fiscal year on June 30. The follow
ing table shows the enormous extent of
the business of the government:
Customs, 1850 ccoun .......,.S $50 OO Ooo
Public debt, 2,2l5 accounts. ....... bl7OOO OG9
Miscellaneous, S,99l accounts. 49,. 2S-0lO0 006
Internal revenues, S4,SS9 accounts Si5,OS0OOS
Total, l06,23l accounts. ....... $4,693. 600 OOO
During the year 1902 the number OF ac-
counts settled by Auditor Andrews was
96,4S3, the total amount involved being
S. 7s. l1O.5S4. The reason for the falling OFF
in the total amount of the several accounts
is due to the abolition of the war taxes
The number of accounts, however, will for
exceed those of any previous year. the
work for the last month OF the present