The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-09-28
FOREIGN COMMERCE.
; Growth Of Foreign Commerce of
United States During the De.
cade 1895. 1906.

. q . . . . . o . . 8 o g @ 9 9 8 O
Exports from Porto Rico in the fis-
cal year just ended were practically
twice as great in value as in any
year under Spanish rule and about 25
per cent greater than in any previous
year under American rule. The tot
al value of the merchandise sent out
OF the island in the fiscal year 1906
was % IA million dollars, against
Is 3-4 millions in the immediate pre-
ceding year, while the highest figures
In any year under Spanish rule was
IL 3-4 millions, or practically one
half of the figures of the fiscal year
1906.
This statement. by which it is pos
sible to accurately compare the value
of exports in 1906 with that of earlier
years, Is the result of an analysis of
the earlier commerce made by the bu-
reau of statistics of the department of
commerce and labor, in which analys-
is the official figures of exports from
1880 to 1899 are reduced to a gold
basis. Official statements of the ex-
ports OF Porto Rico made prior to
OF American currency we're stated in
silver currency, the value of which
fuctuated greatly from year to wear
and month to month. Recently the
bureau of statistics obtained from
Porto Rico a statement of the average
monthly exchange value of the peso
during long term of years, and by an
application of this to the stated value
in pesos is able to present a statement
of the gold value of the merchandise
exported from the island during
long term of years.
The total value of exports ranged
from to IL million dollars during the
period from 1880 to 1898, the year of
occupation by the United States, the
highest figures stated in gold values
being in 1892, s12,75S,97S, and the low
est figure $S,23S,332 in 1891. In 1899,
following the losses in crop-producing
power resulting from the hurricane,
the exports fell to about 6 million dol
lars. In 1901 they were nearly 9 mil
lions. in 1902 ~ 1-2 millions. in 1908
Is millions, in 1904 Is 1-2 millions, in
1905 is ga millions and in 1906, as
above stated, % Ia millions. These
figures of exports" include of course
the shipments to the United States,
which although not technically ex-
ports under the present relation of
Porto Rico to the United States, are
included in this general statement of
the value of merchandise shipped out
of the island.
This increase of practically 100 per
cent in the value of merchandise ship
ped out of the island as compared
with the best years under Spanish
rule, occurs chiefly in sugar and man
ufactures of tobacco. The quantity of
sugar sent out of the island never
reached as much as 100 thousand tons
prior to 1903. In the fiscal year 1903
it was 104 thousand tons. in 1904 us
thousand tons, in the fiscal year 1906
about 1870 thousand tons. and in the
present year will probably exceed 200
thousand tons. The value of sugar
exported never but once reached the
7-million-dollar line until the year
1908, when it was practically Z 1-2
millions, in the fiscal year 1904 s 1-2
millions. in 1905 practically ~ mil
lions, and in 1906 little more than IA
millions, or practically double that of
the banner year under Spanish rule.
The value of cigars and cigarettes