Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1905-06-02
OUR VAST BUSINESS GROWTH.
What We Have Accom- p1ished in
Twenty-Five Years,

A comparison of the growth of the
export trade of the United States with
that of other countries gives us reason
not only for pride in our own country
but confidence in the future of its COM
merce and of its power to invade the
markets of the world. The three great
nations which we may consider as friend
ly rivals in the struggle for the markets
of the world are the United Kingdom,
Germany and France Our exports of
domestic merchandise grew from $780,
100000 in 1870 to ST 435, 900, 900 in 1904,
an increase in % years of $736OOO,OOO,
or 1O5 per cent. In the same period the
domestic exports of the United Kingdom
have grown from 1892, 100000 to ST.
464O00,000, an increase of $532, 100000,
or 81 per cent From Germany the do
nestle exports have grown in like time
from $500, 100000 to 1921 100000, an
increase of $571, 100000, or S61a per
cent. From France the exports during
this period rose from $623OOO,OOO to
1868, 100000, an increase of $24O, 100000,
or 3S per cent.
Our manufacturing development shows
up even more encouragingly. Our pro-
duction of pig iron has grown from less
than 100000 tons in 1880 to more than
$4,000, 900 in 1908; of steel, from 1,25O,-
900 tons in 1880 to 14,5O0,OOO in 1903 of
petroleum, little over 100000, 900 gal
Ions in 1880 to over 1000, 100000 in 1903;
of coal, from less than 64,000,O00 tons in
1880 to 319,000,0OO in 1908.
There is another measure of our as
tonishing growth and prosperity. The
value of the internal commerce of the
United States in 1880 was about $4,000
100000; in 1900, $4,000, 100000: in 1904
$50, 000,000,00O This stupendous sum of
$4,000, 100000 is twice as great as the
value of the merchandise entering into
the international trade of the entire
world in the same year, 1904. The won
derful fact that the domestic commerce
of the United States is twice as great as
the imports of all the nations of the
world, suggests the wonderful impor-
lance of our home market and the en-
enlargement which should be offered for
free interchange among our people for
the varied products of our great country.
The banks of our country are also re-
markable in the growth of business The
deposits in savings banks alone in 1880
were So, 119, 100000; in 1904 this had
gone to S21,91S,OOO,OOO. The result of
this enormous business activity has been
that the wealth of the country has grown
from $42, 5O0,000,0O in 1880 to SEA. 900.
100000 in 1900, and is now more than
100000, 100000. This wealth when
matched with population gives us 81, 22O
per person to that of $500 in 1880, or
over so per cent increase
Meanwhile the country's finances keen
pace with corporate, firm and individual
prosperity. The public debt has been
reduced from a little less than S2OOO.-
100000 in 1890 to considerably less than
1000, 0O0,0O0 to-day. At the same time
the money in circulation has increased
from S973o00,OOO in 1880 to $3.50
100000 at the present time, giving us a
larger sum of money in circulation than
that of any other country in the world.
The box factory of c. E. Ward, cor.
ner of Eaton and Morrison streets. ST.