The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-01
OUR TRADE WITH MEXICO.

posed new form of currency for Mexico
| lends especial interest to some figures
/ just compiled by the department of
commerce and labor through it's bureau
of statistics regarding the commerce
between the United States and Mexico
These figures show that the exports
from the United States to Mexico have
grown from 13 million dollars in 1890 TO
46 million dollars in 1904, speaking in
round terms; and that the imports into
the United States from Mexico have
grown from % million dollars in 1890 to
A millions in 1904. Thus our exports to
Mexico in 1904 were three and one-half
times as great as in 1880. and our i'm
ports from Mexico practically twice as
great as in that year.
Another interesting fact is found in
comparison of the figures of Mexican
trade with the United States with the
total trade of Mexico. These show that
of the imports into Mexico in the latest
year for which information is available,
the United States supplied SO per cent
of the total imports. and that of the ex-
ports from Mexico rs per cent was sent
to the United States. Mexico takes
from the United States a larger share
of her total imports than any other
country in the world except Canada,
from the United States; and Mexico
sends to the United States also larger
share of her exports than any other
country of the world except Cuba, of
whose exports during the fiscal year
1904, sos per cent went to the United
States, as against the 76 per cent of the
total exports of Mexico sent to this
country. While figures showing the
percentage of Mexican imports supplied
by the United States and the percent
age of Mexicos exports sent to the
United States are not available for
earlier years, it is well known that the |
United States has rapidly increased the
share which she supplies of the imports
into Mexico and the share which she
takes of the exports from Mexico. This |
increase has been especially marked
since the construction of railroads en- |
tering Mexico from the United States. |
Prior to the construction of railroads |
between the United States and Mexico |
the share of Mexico's imports supplied |
by the United States ranged from 20 to |
so per cent, against the SO per cent at |
the present time, as above noted; while |
the share of Mexico's exports sent to
the United States was about in the |
same proportion. The effect of direct |
rail communication between the United |
States and Mexico is also illustrated by |
the fact that the Central American |
states, which can only be reached by
water, as was the case with Mexico |
prior to the construction of railways
the two countries, now take
40 per cent of their imports from the
United States as against the 50 per cent
which Mexico takes of her imports from
us.
Earlier figures of the commerce be-
tween the United States and Mexico are
Of course available, but are somewhat |
during the earlier period of
the operations of the railway, since no
law existed prior to 1892 by which state
ments of merchandise passing out of
the United States by rail destined for
Mexico were required.
The principal classes of merchandise
forming our exports to Mexico are iron
and steel manufactures, coal, unmanu-
featured cotton, lumber, unmanufactur-
ed wood, cars and carriages, bread
stuffs, wood manufactures; chemicals,
lrugs, and dyes; copper and manufac-
lures thereof. mineral oils, provisions,
and leather and manufactures thereof.
The principal articles imported into
the United States from Mexico are
ibers, mostly sisal grass; copper pigs,
bars, and ingots; lead in ore and base
hides and skins, coffee, and
cattle.