Arizona republican., 1906-09-10
COTTON KING
 OF EXPORTS
Raw Product Alone Exceeds
 Four Hundred Millions
China and Oceania the Lar gest Customers for the Manufactured Article.

Washington, Sept. 9.-(Special)- Cotton is king in the export record of the United States for the fiscal year just ended. The total value of raw cotton exported for the first time crossed the 400 million dollar line and exceeded by far the value of any other article of merchandise sent out of the country. The exports of breadstuffs of all kinds aggregated but 1S6 million dollars, those of provisions but 211 millions. and those of iron and steel manufactures but 161 million dollars.
 Exports of cotton have increased very rapidly in value during the last five years. Ii was not until 1901 that the value of raw cotton exported reached 300 million dollars. The value of the cotton exports had ranged be- tween 200 and 300 millions in most years since 1S66 in which year it first crossed the 200 million dollar line; but it was not until 1901 that it crossed the 300 million dollar line, and in a short five years period it has grown to more than 100 millions. or an in- crease of about 33 per cent in five years. This growth is due in part to an increase in the quantity exported but in part also to the advance in
 
 1906 was about 700 million pounds less than in 19O5 but the value 2l million dollars more than in 1905.
 The exportatiOn of manufactured cotton was also larger in 1906 than in any earlier year. aggregatmg practi cally B million dollars. against 90 millions in 1905 and 221a millions in 1904. The growth in-exports of manu- factured cotton has been quite as striking as that of the raw material Prior to 1877 exports of cotton manu- factures had never but once amounted to as much as 10 million dollars, and it was not until 1897 that they passed the 20 million dollar line. In 1902 they were g. millions, in 1905 practi- cally 90 millions. and, as above indi- cated, in 1906 practically B millions.
 Europe. of course, our principal GUS toner for raw cotton. The United Kingdom took last year IF million dollars worth. Germany 1O1 millions, France 45 millions, and Italy about 27 millions, while the other countries of Europe took about 32 million dollars worth. Japan is also q customer for our raw cotton. but very irregular in the quantity bought. since she only buys largely of American cotton when prices are low, relying upon India and China in years when American prices are high. The value of cotton export ed to Japan in the fiscal year 1906 was. in round terms. million dollars. in 1905. r millions. and in 1904 less than millions.
 In manufactured cottons China Is by far our largest customer. The total value of all cotton manufactures eX- ported in the fiscal year 1906 was, as above indicated, 53 million dollars in round terms, of which about 30 mil lions went to China. Practically all of the cotton goods sent to China was in the form of cloth. the total value of cotton cloths exported to China iu the year being $29.641,1SS. and of other cotton goods S127.SS7. The exports of cotton cloths to China in the fiscal year 1906 exceeded both in quantity and value that of any other earlier year. the value in 1906 being about 2 million dollars greater than in 1905. and the number of yards about 24 mill lions greater than in 1905. China $ rank as a purchaser of American cot tons is indicated by the faOt that of the I'll million yards of cotton cloths exported in 1906, 49S millions went to China, while about 133 million yards went to the American countries south of the United States, and 25 millions to Asia other than China, and Oceania-