The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1903-01-16
NO OCCASION FOR IT
FOLLY OF DISTURBING EXISTING
TARIFF LAWS.
Our Domestic and Foreign Trade so
Healthy and Prosperous That Any
interference Would Seem to Be
Both Unnecessary and Unwlse.

Walter ]. Ballard, always sound
thinker on economic questions, writes
as follows to the American Econom-
list:
"Our sales to Canada for the fiscal
year June 80, 1902, were $120,809,956,
against $11O,4S5,O08 for 1901, an in
crease of S1O,324,94S. Our purchases
Of Canadian produce were $71,196,5O5,
against S67, 1896, 726, an increase of 49,.
200,779, the net result being a bal
ance of trade in our favor of $40 $685.
457, an increase over last years bal
ance Of trade favorable to us of ST.
124,169. AS we have reached this re-
suit in spite of Canadas preferential
of one-third in favor of Great Britain,
Is there need for us to seriously con-
slider the question of reciprocity with
Canada? Walter ]. Ballard.
Schenectady, N. Y, Dec. Is, 1902"
Not only do these facts of trade an
swer in the negative the query, Is
there any need for us to seriously
consider the question of reciprocity
with Canada? but the general facts
Of trade and commerce exhibit so
healthy condition as to negative the
question whether we ought to take
any risks with the great consuming
home market for the sake of possibly
increasing a few lines of exports to
foreign markets. A recent report of
the Treasury Bureau of Statistics
bears upon this point. 1t shows a
marked increase of activity In manu-.
features, both in exports and imports.
During the seven months ending with
July, 1902, the expectation of man
ufactures was nearly S10,000,O00 great
er than in the corresponding months
of the preceding year, and the i'm
portation Of manufacturers materials
was $30,000000 greater than in the
corresponding months of the proceed
ing year. The expectation of manu-
features during the seven months of
the present year has averaged $685.
100000 per annum, while the importa-
ton Of manufacturers materials has
averaged $36,000000 per month, or at
the rate of s432,000,000 per annum.
Nearly all of the principal manufac-
tured articles exported, except iron
and steel, show an increase in guam.
tity, and In most cases in value,
though in a few important articles
the reduction in price per unit of
quantity has brought the value be-
low last years figures, while the
quantity shows an increase This is
true of mineral oils, for example, the
exports of which during the seven
months show an increase of over four
million gallons, while the figures of
value show decrease of about ST.
100000.
Among the articles which show
marked increase in exports are cot
ton goods, the exports of which
amount to nearly 21,000,000 in the
seven months ending with July, 1902.
against little less than $15,000,000
in the corresponding months of 1901.
This increase Is almost exclusively
in cotton cloths, of which the expor-
tations in the seven months ending
with July, 1902, were $17,098, ASP,
against $11,124,018 in the correspond
ing months of 1901, the number of
yards exported being 334,865.962 in
the seven months of the present year,
against 2O7 ,377,567 in the correspond
ing months of last year. Copper, In
which there was a varied decrease in
the expectations of last year owing to
high prices, now shows a marked in
crease, the figures being $29,014,21O
for the seven months ending with
July, 1902, against 500, 731 ,622 for the
same months of 1901. The chief de-
crease in exports occurs in iron and
steel, the total exports during the sew
en- months of this year being $57 1858
304, against SCI ,160, $50 in the CORE
spending months of last year. The
reason for this decrease is at once
found in the greater domestic demand
and consequent advance in prices.
On the import side nearly all the
principal CLASSICS Ol NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
materials show an increase. Chem
icals increased in imports from $780,
591, 1872 in seven months of 1901 to
$33,831. S77 in the same months of
1902; imports of raw cotton increased
from 32,976.4S6 pounds in seven
months of 1901 to 61,4S8,96 pounds
in seven months of 1902. the quantity
having thus nearly doubled. or
fibers the importations In the seven
months ending with July, 1901,
amounted to s15,3SO,7S6, and in the
corresponding months of 1902 S22,457,-
293. OF hides and skins the figures
of imports for the seven months of |
1901 were s32,141,4 36, and for the |
corresponding months Of 1902 $780,
795,0S3. India rubber shows slight |
decrease in importations, the total |
having fallen from 34.S99, 446 pounds |
in seven months of 1901 to 30 1908. 134 |
pounds in the same months of 1902, |
though the figures Of 1902 are con-
siderably in excess Of those for the