The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-28
SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE
IN NATIONS COMMERCE
Statistics for Eleven Months of the
Calendar Year Show a Very
Good State of Trade.
FIGURES FOR NOVEMBER

Special to the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, Dec. H.-Details of
eleven months commerce of the year 1903
are just made public by the Department
Of Commerce and Labor through its Bureau
of Statistics. They show increase in
practically all of the great groups into
which the Bureau of Statistics divides the
exports and in all OF the groups into which
it divides the imports. Agricultural prod
ucts, as q whole, show an increase of
$74, 600 600; products Of the forests, $4,000,
OOO products of the mines. $S,0O0.000; manu-
features. $1,000. 600, and miscellaneous arti-
cles, s., 100000 In the single group, fisheries,
is shown slight decrease of little more
than 100000.
The figures for the month of November
show a marked growth in exports of man
ufactures, the total for the month being
So. O93, $50, against S3O51S.512 in November of
last year. Agricultural products also show
a marked increase in the month. the fig
ures for November, 1903, being $114,1722 55.
against $SS, $50 in the same month of last
year. The increase in agricultural exports
occurs chiefly in cotton, of which the value
of the months exports is unusually high.
The increase in exports of manufactures
is distributed through many articles, but
does not occur, as had been expected, in
iron and steel. Discussions I'm trade circles
and in the press during the past few weeks
have predicted revival in the export
trade OF iron and steel manufactures, but
the November figures of exports of this
class of merchandise do not justify this
prediction. The total value of iron and
steel manufactures exported in November,
1903, was s7,9SS4l5, against $S,119,924 in No
! vember of 1902. $3.50 1893 in November. 1901.
and s1O112.721 in November, 1900 For the
| eleven months ending with November the
| total exports OF iron and steel manufac-
lures are SIS. POI in value, against $780,
| 1885, 24 in the corresponding months of
1902 and s9i,112,7S 2 in the corresponding
months of 1901. Notwithstanding the slight
| decrease in exports of iron and steel, the
total of all manufactures exported during
the eleven months ending with November,
1903 is 1882. 7sS III. against $377 1856 in the
corresponding months OF last year.
Imports for the month show a decrease of
over 100000 compared with November of
| the preceding year. This decrease is divided
| between manufacturers materials, food
stuffs and the group designated as articles
of voluntary use. luxuries. ETC." The largest
decrease occurs In the group articles who'll
| ~ or partially manufactured for use in
manufacturing, the reduction in this class
being about $S,OOOOO0. as compared with the
corresponding month of the preceding year
This reduction occurs largely in iron and
steel, of which the importations for the
month are less than half those of the cor
! responding month Of last year, the figures
for November, 1908, beins $1,000. 2SS, against
| A.779093 in November, 1902. For the eleven
months ending with November, articles
| wholly or partially manufactured for use
| I'm manufacturing show an increase of
| $l6.OO0.000 over the corresponding months of
| last year. while articles in q crude condi-
ton for use in manufacturing show an in
| crease of $ll,Oo0.O00 in 1903, as compared
| with the corresponding months of 1902
| Summarizing the story told by the figures
| for the month OF November and the eleven
months ending with November. ii may be
said that they indicate a growth in exports
of manufactures but that the expected in
crease IN exports of iron and steel manu-
features has not developed. Imports of
iron and steel manufactures however. show
a decrease In November, 19O3 as compared
with November. 1902. though for the entire
eleven months the figures of iron and stee
imports are slightly in excess of those OF
last year. ImpOrtatiOns of other manufac-
turers materials also show a slight decrease
in November compared with November
of last year but a marked increase wheI
the eleven months ending with November
are considered in comparison with the cor
responding months of last year
| These figures OF the commerce OF the
eleven months would seem TO indicate thai
the total commerce Of the United States
during the year about 10 end will be greater
than IN any preceding year but that the
total exports Will fail few millions below
those OF 1900 and be about equal TO those
of 1901. but materially In excess of those OF
1902. while the total imports will exceed
those OF any preceding year. and. combined
with the exports. make the grand total OF
commerce more than I'm any earlier year
| n xUil
exceed those OF 1902 by several millions but
be somewhat below those OF the record year
1900, and perhaps 1901.