Los Angeles herald., 1906-04-02
MEXICO TRADE
HAS TREBLED
BUSINESS WITH THE REPUBLIC
INCREASES FAST
Hall Billion of United States Capital
Is Invested There and Trade
Has Made Big Strides
In Decade

That trade between Mexico and the
United States has grown from s91,0OO,-
600 in the fiscal year 1896 to $92,0O0,000
In 1905 is the astonishing statement of
Of government official now in Los
Angeles. Said this official:
'Trade of the United States with
Mexico in the fiscal year 1905 aggre-
gated in value $92, 100000. In 1896, only
a decade earlier, it was but $31,00O,O00,
and in 1885, $1S,OOO,OOO, thus practically
doubling in the d cade ending with
1895 and trebling in the decade ending
with 1905.
1.-THE exchanges of merchandise be-
tween the United States and Mexico
are more nearly equally divided as to
imports and exports than is the case
with most countries. In our trade with
the countries of Europe, for example,
our exports thereto are twice as great
as our imports therefrom: in the case
OF Mexico our exports are no greater
than our imports. Indeed, in the fiscal
year 1905 exports to Mexico were about
81 100000 less than imports from that
country, though in 1904 the conditions
were reversed exports to Mexico being
about two millions greater than inn
ports therefrom.
Uncle Sam ExceIs
1.-THE United States participates more
largely in the foreign trade of Mexico
than does any other country. Figures
compiled by the department of COM
merce and labor, through it's bureau of
statistics, show that of MeXico's total
imports of merchandise SO per cent is
drawn from the United States, and of
her total exports II per cent is sent to
the United States. Indeed, no other
country, with the single exception of
Canada, draws as large a percentage
of it's imports from the United States
as does Mexico; and no other country
except Cuba sends as large per-
centage of it's imports to the United
States as does Mexico.
"In the case of Canada, go per cent
of the imports is drawn from the
United States, and in the case of Cuba,
SO per cent of the exports is sent to the
United States. In Canada the similar
ity of language, climate and customs
tends more strongly to close CONNER
cial relations than in Mexico, while in
the case of Cuba the demand in the
United States for tropical products,
coupled with the advantages given
through the reciprocity treaty suggests
a cause for the high percentage of
Cuban exports to the United States.
transportation of merchandise, mails
and people stimulate exchanges and
have resulted in a very rapid growth
of the trade of each of these three
great communities with the United
States, especially during recent years.
Causes of Growth
Another cause of growth in our trade
relations is doubtless found in the large
- fol d.,
the presence of large numbers of ciE-
zens of the United States in the coun-
tries named.
Estimates made by our consular rep
and others, and by persons
in the United States familiar with the
subject, indicate that fully a billion dol
lars of capital from the United States
is now invested in Mexico, Canada and
Cuba, of which about one-half is in
Mexico. During the last ten years
trade between the United States and
United States and Canada has more
than doubled and that between the
United States and Mexico has trebled.
1.-THE principal classes of articles
forming the large commerce between
the United States and Mexico are, on
the import side, tropical products and
materials for use in manufacturing.
and one the export side, food stuffs and
SisaI and Copper
1.-THE imports from Mexico of sisal
grass (having characteristics similar
to those of hemp) amounted in 1905 to
nearly $15,000,000, against less than 3d.
900, 900 in 1895.
Imports of copper in ore or in pigs,
bars and ingots amounted in 1905 to
over $15000,0O0,. against less than $780,
900 in 1895, the large proportion having
come in the form of pigs, bars and in
gots This large importation of copper
into the United States, the greatest
copper producing country in the world,
Is made with the purpose of subjecting
the copper to smelling and refining
and the extraction of the
precious metals which it contains. Lead
in ore and base bullion also forms an
important item in the imports from
Mexico, being about $35,00000O in 1905,
much of this being brought In for the
of extracting the silver which 1t
carries. Hides and skins were imported
in 1905 to the value of $2,000,000; coffee,
over 81, 000,0 600; vanilla beans, $500,0OO
sugar, a little over $500,000; and 'chicle,'
chiefly used In the manufacture OF
chewing gum, $463,O9O.
"Of the articles exported from the
United States to Mexico, manufactures
Of iron and steel show an aggregate of
over $12,000,000, out of total of 5,0OO,-
BOO; coal and coke amount to little
more than $4,000,000; lumber and manu-
features of wood, over $4,0OO,OOO; cars
and carriages. more than 81, 900; gum
powder. nearly $1,000,0O0, and mineral
oil, $1,000, ,OOO."