New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-04-07
IRON AND STEEL TARIFF.
Export and Import Figures ShO00
Effects of Protection.
IFRoM THE TRIBUNE BUREAU.l

washington April 6.-Both +'standpatters" ana re-
,sonists VIII be interested to learn that exports Of
iron ana steel manufactures from the United States
in the first eight months OF the present fiscal year
exceed those in the corresponding months OF any
earlier year. being SS55OOOOO in value. as compared
with So 10000 the high record made in the first
eight months OF the fiscal year 1901.
An instructive official statement just issued by
the Department Of Commerce and Labor through
its Bureau OF Statistics compares the imports and
exports OF and steel manufactures in the first
eight months OF each fiscal year from 1885 10 1906.
In 1855 exports OF iron and steel manufactures IN
the first eight months half the value Of
imports OF iron and steel manufactures, being
81 10000 as against S2OOOOO0 OF imports. In 1905.
IN the same months. the exports OF iron and steel
are about six times much as the imports OF iron
ana steel being >o5 5OOuD5 as against 100000 of
imports Thus the balance Of trade in iron and
steel which in 1855 showed total Of Sl5o00o0 IN
favor OF imports. shows in 1905 TO date total Of
81 10000 in favor OF exports.
The growth in iron and steel exports from the
United States is even more clearly shown by a com
parison OF the movement in certain articles. In
1885 there only twenty-five classes OF sufficient
importance 10 warrant their presentation in the
monthly records OF export movements In 1905 about
forty-flve separate items Of iron and steel manu-
features are shown in the monthly summary Of
commerce and finance. and the list steadily grows
from year 70 year. in response TO the request ena-
mating those interested in the iron and steel
industry. while. IN addition TO this, many OF the
articles are so presented to show their destina-
ton by countries-a distinct Improvement upon the
methods pursued twenty years earlier.
Machinery. the leading item of export in the iron
and steel schedule has increased from S54S76 $40 IN
the FIRST eight months of 1855 TO S3sO55O52 IN the
corresponding months Of the present fiscal year.
Under the head OF machinery are included locomo-
tives. in which the growth from $655O9s in 1885
10 1.94642o in 1905; printing presses, from 1lel2 TO
S74lSs sewing machines from slS 49, TO s. 800 694
and. in addition. many other articles which were
not enumerated in 1885, such cash registers, cleo
trical machinery laundry working machinery, type
writers and other items. representing lines OF in
dustry which have only developed IN recent years.
Steel rails have also increased in exports from
S77 465 IN the first eight months Of 1885 to S. 900 6s
IN 1905 10 date. and over half of the latter value
represents shipments to the rapidly developing
tons Of Canada, while Japan almost equals Europe
as a market for American rails. being credited with
ssSl. SN worth as against S52ssSS for Europe as a
whole Locks. hinges and other builders hardware
increased from SlS,3 in 1885 to s7lO3 S45 in 1905,
though the latter is slightly less than the
totals for the corresponding periods OF 1903 and 1904
the comparisons In each case being for the first
eight months Of the fiscal years named
Pig iron production in the United States showed
but little growth in the twenty years from 1865 to
lively. az the two dates named In the twenty years
0 s l lS inc gToSth mas ben nearly $500 go
ten years having almost doubled in 1903 as COM
pared with the production Of 1895 A study of the
figures prepared by the Bureau of Statistics indi-
Gates al a rapid expansion in the production OF pig
the imports OF iron and steel manufactures which
have steadily decreased since 1850. and in only two
years, 1881 and 1903. have touched the level reached
e the year named: 90 corresponding increase in
the expectation OF iron and steel manufactures
especially since 1897, and 90 disappearance OF the
net inward movement OF iron and steel and the
substitution OF net export movement, beginning
With the year l6S4 increasing in volume until the
year 1900. slightly receding until 1893 again adj
Vancing with every indication that the excess az
exports over imports OF iron steei in the pres
ent fEcal year viii De considerably more than
E00O00O0.
The following table shows the imports and ex-
IN
and annually from 1895 70 1895. the figures IN each
years named: