The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1906-02-07
u. S. IMPORTS DOUBLED
I'M LAST SEVEN YEARS

Y 54g
Washington, Feb, ~, The Imports in.
to tile United States have practically
doubled iii yalue iii the last seven years.
The total value of imports. as shown
by the department of commerce and la
bor throu0l its bureau of statistics, was,
in the calendar year 1905, ST, I79, GOO, ,ooo
and iii the calendar year 1893, seven
years earlier, was but $635 100000. The
figures Of 1903 included, Of course, iller-
|chandise from Porto Rico and Hawaii,
which are now customs districts of the
United States, and a comparison of the
merchandise brought into the United
States in Too5 with that of 1903 would
properly include merchandise from these
two island territories, since they were
SO included in the. earlier year; and If
/ the value of the merchandise brought
from those islands in 1905 be added to
I the bureau of statistics statement Of
imports from foreign countries the
grand total would be be I,234 100000. or
|practically twice as great in value as
that of 1903
" This remarkable increase in inporta-
tions during the seven-year period is
distributed through all classes and prac-
tically all articles. Food stuffs show an
increase of $84, ,ooo, 900, a gain of As per
cent; manufactures, an increase of $751;
5000, gain of W per cent Injuries,
ain increase of $76,ooo,ooo, a gain Of 90
per cent; and manufacturers materials,
ain increase Of $3o3, ZOO, 600, a gainof I77
per cent. These figures do not include
for 1905 the merchandise brought from
Hawaii and Porto Rico. If these were
Included the increase ia food stuffs
would be about $I 81, ,ooo,o 900 and the per-
centage Of gain about 70. Speaking in
general terms, it may be said that the
value Of merchandise brought into the
country in zoos, including that from the
islands now under the American flag
| but foreign territory in 1903. shows an
increase of 70 per cent in food stuffs,
w per cent in manufactures, 90 per
cent in luxuries, and III per cent in
manufacturers materials. The term
lIuxuries. however, as used by the classi-
| fication established for the bureau of
statistics many years ago is now mislead-
ing, since that group is chiefly made up
OF manufactures of the higher. grades,
Isrch as. laces and edgings, plushes and
velvets, wines and spirits. manufactures
III lODdECO, dille JG,WCiIS ellel Slllt9l uiuIiu-
factures Of gold and silver, etc.
/ Considering single articles and COM
pairing conditions in 1905 with 1903, il
| imay be said that raw silk shows all In
crease in inlportations of about 100 per
cent, the figure for 1903 being $265oo,-
900 and for 1905. $54,z5o,ooo. Imports
| of tin show an increase OF practically
200 per cent, having been al little less
| than $o;ooo,ooo in 1858 and $26,ooo,ooo
| in 1905. Hides and skins show an IN
crease of about 80 per cent in the value
Of their importations. the total in 1893
IhaVing been, in round terms, 100000,
and iii 1905 over ss$773, ,ooo, ,ooo Crude
lFrbber imports in 1893 were SEQ, ,ooo, 900,
and in 1905, $40 100000, an increase OF
practically 90 per cent. Imports of TN
manufactured fibers in 1858 were, in
lrolind terms, $I7,oooooo in value, and in
1 zoos, Sal 900, ,ooos an increase of about
i9I4o per cent. Wool imports in 1905
lwere s$If 100000 in valne. and in zoos
nearly ,ooo, ,oQo. il. Is
4 Unmanufactured tobacco for use ii
amounted in 1893 to So
100000 in value and in 1905, $500, 900
4 Raw cotton, chiefly Egyptian, showed
/ in 1903 a total simpo of $4,5oo,ooe
/ and in 1905 $Io 5ooo 600 Importations
/ of copper, now largely brought into the
limited States for smelling or refining
i and with the purpose of extracting ths
! precious metals which it contains in tht
form in which it is brought have great
! 1y increased, having been in 1903 ONLY
i 81 100000 in value, while in 1905 tliel
/ amounted to $28oooooo of which SIS,
lz5o,ooo represented the value of ore aile
the remainder pigs, bars. and ingots.
4 Turning from manufacturers mater
Iials TO other classes it may be said tina