The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-04-13
It's Trade Balance Is Greater than
Those of All the Other Countries
on the Globe Combined.
MANY DECAPITATI0Ns PENDING
AK WILL BE APPLIED SEVERELY IN
INTERNAL REVENUE BUREAU.
Smaller Appropriations Made This
Necessary-FinanciaI Question to
Occupy the Next Congress.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.

WASHINGTON, April 12.-The story OF
the worlds commerce, past and present, as
told in the Statistical Abstract of the
World the first chapter of which has just
made its appearance in the monthly pub
lication of the treasury Bureau of Sta
tistics, is interesting. This first chapter
presents the figures of the commerce of
every country of the world so far as OBJ
tainable, extending back as far as possi-
BILE; in some cases only a decade or two,
in others a full century. The figures are
expressed in United States currency, and
the subsequent chapters, which will discuss
quantities as well as values, will also be
expressed in terms of United States
weights and measures.
These figures tell the story of the growth
OF commerce In the various countries and
sections of the world. and a comparison
OF the progress made by the various coun-
tries makes very satisfactory showing
for the United States. The countries dis
cussed are grouped by grand divisions. In
Europe a very large proportion of the
countries show larger imports than ex-
ports In America, and indeed most of the
younger countries, the exports exceed the
imports in few instances in which
the country is so extremely young that 1t
has not developed its producing powers.
In the Orient some countries, notably
India, export more than they import, while
In other cases, notably Japan and China,
the Imports exceed the exports.
Taking the European countries in the
alphabetical order in which they are ar
ranged Austria-Hungary shows a growth
in imports from $4,000 600 in 1870 to $325, ,OOO-
900 in 1901, and in exports from $780,, ,OOO, 900
TO S3,000,O00 showing an excess of exports
in 1901 amounting to $5S.000OO0. Belgium's
imports grew from s177. 600 900 in 1870 to $42S,-
100000 in 1901, and her exports from $685.
100000 to $685., 900. the balance showing
an excess of imports amounting in 1901 to
s75, 100000. France increased her imports
from 1858 100000 to SS43 600, 900 and her ex-
ports from 54l, 100000 to s774,OOOOOO, the
trade balance being an excess of $69 OOO 900
of imports in 1901. Germany's imports in
creased from 5000. 900 in 1872 to 81 29O OOO,-
600 in 1901 and her exports from s551 600 OOO
in 1872 to $054, 1000 in 1901, the trade bal
ance being in 1901 $236. 900 of imports.
Italy shows growth in imports from $l72-
100000 in 1870 to 1891 900 900 in 1901 and In ex-
ports from sl46, 100000 to 1854 900, the
trade balance being $67, 900 600 excess of i'm
ports. The Netherlands increased her i'm
ports from sls7,000,O00 in 1870 to $SlS, ,OOO. 900
In 1901 and her exports from $l53. 100000 to
$685. 00O. .0O0 the trade balance being Sl22-
100000 excess of imports. Russia's imports
grew from sol, 100000 in 1870 to $322, 600 600
In 1900 and her exports from $216, 900 to
1863, 100000, exports exceeding imports in
1900 by S47,0O0,0O0. Spain shows a growth in
imports of from s101, 100000 in 1870 to $1S3,-
100000 in 1901, and her exports increased
from F7,000,0O0 to s152.0o0,0O0. the trade bal
United Kingdom increased her imports
from ST. 259, 100000 in 1870 to s2,21 5000 in
1901 1, and am her exports from ss7l,OOO,OoO to
81 ,362. 600 900, the excess OF imports over ex-
ports in 1901 being sS47, 100000.
XXX
Turning to Asia and Oceania, the figures
of the trade OF India show a growth in
imports from 100000. 600 in 1870 to 1854, ,OOO.-
600 in 1902 and in exports from s255, 900, 900
to s4O3 100000. the trade balance being $780,
100000 excess of exports in 1902 China's
imports grew from s1oOooO,OOO in 1870 to
SlS, 100000 in 1901, and her exports from
$SI.OOO.OOO to Sl2O0OO.OO0. imports exceeding
exports in in 1901 by s!O:Ooo0oo Japan in.
to sl27, 100000 in 1901. and her exports from
$l5.00O.00O to S125. 100000. the trade balance
being 100000 in excess o. imports in 1901
The trade of Australasia Is shown sepa-
rately for each of the various colonies but.
summarized shows $201, 000, 600 of imports
and $223. 100000 of exports in 1900, exclusive
of the intercolonial trade. the balance thus
XXX
Considering the principal American coun-
tries. the figures show for Mexico a growth
in imports from $4,000. 900 in 1873 to $s2. .O0o.-
600 in 1901, and in exports from S2S,0O0 900
in 1877 to sSS. 100000 in 1901. the excess of
imports in 1901 being S29 100000. This ad-
verse trade balance, however, is largely
made up by expectations of silver. which
in 1901 amounted TO $35 100000. The British
West Indies increased their imports from
S2l 100000 in 1870 to s32.000.000 in 1901. and
their exports from $23.o00.00o to $29.0OOO00.
the excess of imports in 1901 being s.. 600 OoO
The figures include interisland commerce.
Taking up the principal British West In
dian colonies separately. II may be said
BADGES, s5,000.0o0: Jamaica, 100000 and
Trinidad $l2. 2.O00 900; and the exports in that
year. Barbados. si.5oo000; Jamaica. So
100000. and Trinidad. sll,500,O00 Canada's
s2l2 100000 in 1902. and her exports from
s73,0o0.00O to S21l.o0Go00. the trade balance
being s6SO.000 in excess OF imports in 1902:
though in most of the years since 1894 the
figures show excess of exports ranging
from 100000 TO s2300,O00. Argentina's i'm
ports increased from s4100O.0o0 in 1870 TO
SO 600 to sl6l. 100000. exports thus ex-
ceeding imports In 1901 by So, 600. Bra
zil increased her imports from 500. GOO 900 in
1870 to ss6,0OO00o in 1901. and her exports
ance being excess of S10I 100000 OF ex-
ports Chles imports increased from
s2s.0O.OO0 In 1870 to 100000 In 1901. and
ports exceeding imports In 1901 by $4,000
600.
For the United States. the figures show a
growth In imports from s4s6,OoOOO0 In 1870
to ssos. 100000 in 1902 and in exports from
ss76 100000 TO $lss5, 600 900; the trade balance.