The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1906-09-07
KING COTTON LEADS
american EXPORTS
HIGH WATER MARK IN SHIPMENT
OF SOUTHERN STAPLE TO
FOREIGN MARTS.
China Is Best Customer, That Country
Taking Nearly Sixty Per Cent. of
the Products of Fields and Mills
During Past Year.

Washington, Sept. 3.-"Cotton is
king in the export record of the Unit
ed States for the fiscal year just
ended"
This is the Introductory sentence
of statement just issued by the de-
partment of commerce and labor.
Continuing, the statement says:
"The total value of raw cotton ex-
ported for the first time crossed the
$500, 100000 line and exceeded by far
the value of any other article of mer-
chandise sent out the country. The
exports of breadstuffs of all kinds az
gregated but 100000, those of
provisions but s211 100000 and those
of iron and steel manufactures but
$161, 100000.
Exports Grow Larger.
"The value of cotton exported has
during the last five years increased
very rapidly. 1t was not until 1901
that it crossed the 5000, 100000 line,
and in short five years period it has
grown to more than $400,000,000, or
an increase of SO per cent. This
growth is due in part to an increase
in the quantity exported, but in part
also to the advance in price, since the
quantity exported in 1906 was about
zoe, 100000 pounds less than in 1905,
while the value was 100000 more
than in 1905.
Sales Keep on Growing.
1.-THE expectation of manufactured
cotton was also larger in 1906 than in
any earlier year. aggregating prac-
tically $53,000O00 against $4,000, 900
in 1905 and 22,5O0,O00 in 1904. The
growth in exports of manufactured
cotton has been as striking as that of
the raw material.
Europe is, Of course, our principal
customer for raw cotton. The United
Kingdom took last year SIT, 000, 900
worth, Germany $101,000,000, France
$45 ZOO, 900, and Italy about $27 ,000,0 900,
while the other countries of Europe
took about s32,OOO.OO0.
Japan Is Irregular.
Japan is also 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 sS,000,000; in 1905,
81, 600, 900, and in 1904 less than &c..
100000.
Trade with China.
I'm manufactured cotton 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, s53,00O,OOO in round
terms, of which about $30,000.000 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 in the year being
s29,541,1S and of other cotton goods
s172,SS7. The exports of cotton cloths
to China in the fiscal year 1906 ex'
ceeded both in quantity and value
those of any other earlier year, the
value in 1906 being about 100000
greater than in 1905, and the number
of yards about 100000 greater than
in 1905. China's rank as purchaser
of American cottons is indicated by
the fact that of the 711,000,0O0 yards
of cotton cloths exported in 1905, 49S,
O0O. 900 went to China, while about
1873, OOO, 900 yards went to the Ameri
can countries south of the United
States and 100000 to Asia other
than China, and Oceanica."