The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-07-16
Three Billion Dollars Represents
Years Commerce of the
United States.
$600,000,00O INVOLVED
IN EXPORTS ALONE
Government Report Shows Ire
mendous Strides in For
eign Trade.
special to The Journal.

special to The Journal.
Washington, July 16.-Three billion
dollars is the enormous sum that repre-
sents the value of the commerce of the
year. '
1t is a sum which staggers magma
ton. 1t is a striking illustration of the
extent of the prosperity the United
States enjoys. 1t means that for every
man, woman and child, goods worth
SOB We're exported or imported.
The department of commerce and Ia
Dor. made public today a statement
giving the exact. value of the trade.
1t shows that during the twelve months
ending July / the commerce increased
$oS6,OO0,O0O over that Of last year.
It has almost doubled in value during
the last ten years.
Leads the World.
No country in the world is making
such tremendous strides in capturing
foreign markets as is the United States.
Equally as satisfactory as the growth
OF our commerce is the fact that ex-
ports exceed imports by more than
100000, 900, which represents the sum
foreign countries have paid the United
States for the privilege Of trading
with it.
1t creates glow of pride in an
American breast, to study the de-
tailed statistics in connection with
American trade. There has been an in
crease in exports of American farm
products and manufactures. The to-
tai export of manufactures aggregate
$600,000,000, which is $57, 100000 more
more than ten years ago. Forty years
ago the total value of manufactures ex-
ported was only $3l,0eO,0O0.
Manufactures Benefited.
Nearly every branch of manufacture
Ing business has benefited by foreign
purchases during the last twelve months.
There have been increased sales of our
manufactures of iron and steel, cotton
and leather, cars and carriages, agri-
cultural implements, mineral oils, furni-
ture, paper, paraffn, scientific instru-
ments, manufactures of India rubber
and fiber and other less important items.
Locomotives. Woodworking machinery,
builders hardware, sewing machines,
electrical machinery, typewriters, strue-,
tural iron and steel, wire and agricul-
tural implements have all advanced in
. popular estimation in foreign lands, as
shown by increased purchases of these
articles of American construction.
Prior to 1898 imports of manufactures
were always greater in value than ex-
ports of manufactures, but since that
year exports of manufactures have ex-
ceeded similar imports in value except
in a single year, 1903. For the last
fiscal year the manufactures exported
exceeded by about $6O,000.000 the value
Guiding those partially manufactured
articles brought into this country for
use in manufacturing.
Bteadstufs in Increase.
Exports of domestic products soon
will reach the large sum of 81 ,000, O0O,-
900 annually if the rate of increase dur
the fiscal year Of 1904-5 the value Of
breadstuffs, provisions, cotton and min
eral oil exported amounted to $751; 1885,
754. For the last twelve months it
was $500, 57S, 504-a gain Of $139,1l8,-
75O. The gain is due principally to
oats and barley.
There was a gain Of only 100000 in
the sales of cattle, hogs and sheep. but
an increase of 500 100000 in provisions,
which included animal and dairy prod
ucts.
Scandals Affect Meat Trade.
Evidently the packing house scandals
hoe products. In June, 1908. there was
exported canned beef valued at $685.
1888. In June of 1906 exports Of this
amounted to only $291,774. There was
a loss of $4,000 in the value
Of cured beef exported, $220,0o
in hams, $4,000 in pork and SAL ,00O
offset, fortunately, by. a gain of $l67 ),
900 in the export Of fresh beef and
$S36,000 in bacon.
It was well for the statistics of the
year that the beef scandal came at its
close, for in the preceding months there
were large gains in all animal prod:
ucts save canned beef, which dropped
$145,OO0 below the value of. the ex'
ports of 1905, and hams, of which 49,,
3S4,991 worth was sold in 1906, against
$2O,943,925 in the preceding year.
That our butter is appreciated abroad
is shown by the fact. that $4,70o,ooo
worth of it was sold abroad in the ifs
cal year ending. July l, against $500;
900 disposed Of in the fiscal year OF
1904-5. .