Arizona republican., 1903-07-02
WE REQUIRE MORE
Growth of the Consuming
 Power of the Nation
Shown by the Extraordinary Increase in Approximations of Raw Materials for Manufacturers.

Washington, July 1.-The growth in the consuming power of the United States in this period of business activi- ty is illustrated by the figures of the 1 treasury bureau of statistics showing the importations and exportations by great groups during the eleven months ending with May, 1903. These figures show that while the exportation of manufactures has increased only two million dollars as compared with the corresponding I.onths of last year, the importation of manufacturers matari- als has increased 66 million dollars as compared with the same months of 1902. and 131 millions as compared with the corresponding months of 1901 As it can scarcely be presumed that the manufacturers of the country are ex- porting in excess of their present or immediately prospective requirements, it would seem that the increase in manufactures which this growing inn portation of materials indicates is be- ing consumed at home, since exporta- tions of manufactures for the year show no material increase
 A rapid increase in the importation of manufacturers materials has been the striking characteristic of the fiscal year about to end. For the eleven months the total value of manufactur- CTS materials imported amounted to S451, ,0S1,163. against s3S4, 775, 764 for the same months of last year, $319 524, ,957 for the cores bonding months of 1901, and S363, 455,072 for the same months of 1900. Prior to 1900 the imports of man. ufacturers' material had never touched the 300 million dollar line, except in 1893, when they were $500, 461, ,795. Com- pairing 1903 with 1890, the manufactur- CTS materials imported have nearly doubled in value, those of the eleven months of 1890 being s242. .437, ,991- Com- pairing conditions in 1903 with 1900. the year of the largest exportation of man. ufactures, it may be said that the i'm portation of mnufaoturers' materials has increased S1 million dollars and ex- pcrtatiOn Of mnufactures has decreas- ed 19 million dollars during the eleven months periods under consideration.
 Not only has the importat ton of man. ufacturers' materials increased, but the home production of the great arti- cles used in manufacturing has also increased. The production of pig iror. in the United States in 1902 amounted to 17.S2i.307 long tons, against 13, ,7S9, PAP tons in 1900 an increase of over 4,0OO, 900 tons. or nearly 30 per cent; while cotton production shows an increase of over 100000 bales and wool a gain of 30.- C00000 pounds. comparing 1902 figures with those of 1900.
 The principal articles in which the increase in importations of manufac- turers' materials occurs are raw silk, which shows an increase of 150O, 900 pounds, or 13 per cent, in the ten months for which the detailed state ments are at hand; india rubber, which shows an increase in quantity of 3.5OO.- 900 pounds in the ten months over the same period of the preceding year; and Manila hemp. which shows an increase of more than 10 per cent in quantity i'm ported. F'ibers as whole show an in- crease of $4OO0,O00, comparing the twelve months of this year with those of 1902. Iron in a partially manufac- tured state for use in manufacturing also shows an increase.