The Washington times., 1903-09-19
AhE RIGAN FARMERS
SHOULD RAISE GOATS
Twenty-Five Millions Paid
Every Year for Skins.
USED FOR GLOVES AND SHOES
Europe, Asia, Africa, and South Amer
lea Row Furnish Supply Needed by
Our Manufacturers.

new industry is Offering itself to the
farmers and manufacturers of the United
States. The fact that S25. goo goo worth
of goatskins are now annually import d
into the United States, and that her
enterprising manufacturers are now
obliged to send halfway around the
world for a large share of them. sug-
gests that the farmers of the country
have great opportunity to put large
share of this sum into their own peck
cts, and that the entire sum may be d.
vided between our producers and manu-
facturers.
statement just presented by the De-
partment of Commerce and Labor.
through its Bureau of Statistics, shows
that importations of goatskins into the
United States are now running at the
rate of S25, 600 900 per annum, and that
large share OF these are brought from
India, China. Arabia, and southeastern
Russia. The increasing popularity OF
certain classes of kid leather for loot
wear. as well as gloves, has increased
very greatly the demand for goatskins
in the United States within recent years.
In 1885 the value of goatskins imported
was about $4,000. 600; by 1890 it had
grown to $4,000. 600: by 1898 it was $15.-
oOO. 600; in 1900 it was 500 900, geo. ana in
1903. S25.o0o.ooo in round numbers.
Distribution by Countries.
OF this large sum of money sent out
of the country TO purchase goatskins,
100000 went to India. nearly $4,000. =
coo to China. $1,000. OOO to France. s., 500. =
600 TO Russia. $500. 600 to Brazil, 81 .OOO.-
600 to Argentina, and another million to
Arabia. From India. which took less
than $4,000, 600 worth of merchandise OF
all kinds from the United States last
year. and has increased her purchases
from Us less than $4,000. COO in a decade
We have increased our importations OF
goatskins alone from S2.O00000 in 1892
to 81 .5Co.O0 in 1902
From Brazil. which has reduced her
imports from the United States from
$15.000.0OO in 1895 TO SIC. OOO. goo in 1903.
our purchases of goatskins last year
were S1,500,000. France. Russia. the
United Kingdom. Turkey in Europe. and
Turkey in Asia, Arabia. China. Southern
Africa. Argentina. and Mexico also con-
tribute literally to the supply of goat
skins 10 make up the S25, COZ, 600 worth
of this product brought into the United
States annually.
Census of Goats.
The farmers of the United States are
apparently making no effort to reap any
part Of this golden harvest for them
selves The census OF 1900 showed the
total number of goats in the United
States to be less than 1000 900 in num-
Der, and when it is understood that the
skins Of probably 2O.OO0,OO goats were
required to make the S25 900. 900 worth
imported last year. it would be seen
that the supply from the United States
could have formed but a small share OF
the total consumption. Yet the fact
that large share of our supply OF this
important import comes from India
China, France. and Mexico suggests that
there are large areas in the United
States which might produce goats sue
cessfully and in sufficiently large num-
bers to supply the entire home demand