The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-10-10
FIRST BULLETIN
 ON DISTRIBUTION Amount Available for One Year 14,455,994 Bales BIG INCREASE IN EXPORTS Mills of the South Show an Increase In Consumption From 1,483,711
 Bales to 2,14o,151
 Bales.

Washington, October 9.-The census Du- reau today issued a bulletin showing the production and distribution of the cotton of the United States available between September l. 1904. and September l, 1soo, to be IA 455, 994 bales. Of this 61 per cent was exported, 90 per cent was used in domestic consumption, leaving surplus of per cent. The domestic consumption includes S6776 bales destroyed by fire The exportation amounted to S,S44929 bales, the domestic consumption to 4,3l5,- 756 and the surplus to 1,S65,9o9, Of the total, 13,693, 279 bales were included In the crop of 1904 and the remainder in that or 1905. The surplus included stocks held in mills, at ports, at interior towns and on plantations, and in transit on the first of last September.
 Of the quantity consumed in the United States, 2,1SS, ,629 bales were used in north ern mills, and 2,14o,151 in southern mills. In addition to the totals given, 124 4b9 bales of foreign cotton were imported into the United States during the year.
 Exceeds All Previous Years.
 The exportation for the year covered exceeds that of any previous year by l. IA, 452 bales, and exceeded the average of the past ten years by 2,913,94s bales. New Orleans with total of 2,463,4 oaies' held first rank as an exporting point, put was closely pressed by Galveston With 2,3SS,4 bales. Savannah with l,2so,9SS bales held third place. The value of the total export of raw cotton was SiO4 ,293
 A oo7t foft hut tah bales as follows: To the United Kingdom, 40 S,999 Belgium, 161 ,151; France, sS7.lOS; Germany, 2115.672; Italy, 536,929' Russia, 125 463; Spain, 2S9, ,6sS others, 172, 112; Japan, 324 66S; British North America, l25,4Of, Mexico, 73276; all other countries, 946l.
 The total number of producing spindles in the United States is reported at 24,- orr, 7,524, of which S,211,737 were in the south, and 15,S657 790 in the north. Notwithstand- ing the great difference in the number of spndles of the two sections, the con- sumption of cotton is practically the same. The annual consumption of cotton per spindle in the northern mills is 6l pounds compared with PA pounds in the south The difference in the per spindle consumption indicated that the northern mills are spinning yarns of very much greater finish than those turned out by | the southern mills. The large output of
 
 | mainly of heavy fabrics to supply great | ly increased demand from China and the Orient
 | The report shows that in twenty-five years the production of the United States | has increased from 5.735,359 to 13 ,27t bales The total consumption of cotton l in this country has increased from 1,671, ,3Ss | to 4,27S,9S0 bales.
 Southern Consumption Increases. l Within the last five years the cotton consuming establishments of the south | ern states have increased their consump- | ton from l, ,4S3, Ill to 214O,151 bales During | the five years the northern cotton con l suming establishments have actually de- l creased their consumption by 16.955 bales | explained by these mills being engaged | during this period in replacing old ma l chinery by more modern. The worlds cotton production for 1904 entering com
 mercial channels, was 1904, 659 bales with a total consumption of 15,474.9Sl | bales This indicates a worlds surplus | of 2566,S79 bales. Of the total production outside the United States 2960, 600 bales were grown in the East Indies. 11S7, ,OOt | in Egypt and the remainder in Brazil and other countries.
 | Owing to the sensitive character of | the cotton market the report emphasizes
  on the question, and adds:
 While there have been some refusals l in both sections of the country to sup ply the data required by the law, the in- formation has as rule been cheerfully and promptly given and when the totals are compared with the figures of the commercial government. it Is evident that the returns made to the bureau of the census have been remarkably acurate | In those cases where manufacturers re- fused to give the desired information sta tistcs for such establishments received tlvough reliable sources have been in- cluded In the totals of this report'' The report also says:
 Can Account for Every Bale. "Since the inauguration of the census reports of cottin ginning the cotton crop has been brought more completely within the purview of the statistical method than any other farm commodity The total production of each year is now known, within a few thousand bales, as early as the following March. The pro- gress of the crop can be traced, bale by bale to the mills north and south and to the several foreign countries If will be a part of the purpose of these reports to learn what proportion of their purchases the mills have consumed. and
 what the mills have on hand at given dates. In time it is hoped that this exact knowledge can be extended so as to n- clue foreign countries. With this knowl- edge in their possession the producer can himself determine what is fair price for him to demand, and the consumer what is a safe price for him to pay.'' The bulletin is the first to be published on the subject under the act passed by