The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-07-20
TRADE INTO BILLION
Exports Ofthe United States
Are Enormous.
LAST YEAR BROKE RECORD.
COuntry's Foreign Business
Takes Strides Forward.
REPORT BY THE GOVERNMENT
Meat Sales Cut Some; Food Stuffs
Gain; Live Stock Increase;
Brighter Prospects.

Washington, July lS.-Three billion
dollars is the enormous sum that repre-
sents the value of the commerce of the
United States during the last fiscal year.
| 1t is a sum which staggers magma
ton. 1t is a striking illustration of the
extent of the prosperity the United
States enjoys. 1t means that for every
man, woman and child, goods worth $33
were exported or imported.
The department of commerce and la
Dor made public today a statement Civ
| ing the exact value of the trade. 1t
shows that during the twelve months
ending July | the commerce increased
100000 over that of last year. 1t
has almost doubled in value during the
last ten years.
| No country in the world is making
such tremendous strides in capturing
foreign markets as is the United
| States.
| Equally as satisfactory as the growth
! of our commerce is the fact that ex-
ports exceed imports by more than $780,
| 100000, which represents the sum for
eign countries have paid the United
States for the privilege of trading with
| it.
1t creates a glow of pride in an Am
erican's breast to study the detailed sta
tistics in connection with American
trade. There has been an increase in eX-
ports of American farm products and
manufactures. The total export of man
ufactures aggregate $600,OO0,000, which
is $57 100000 more than they were in
1905, $37O,OOOOOO more than ten years
ago. Forty years ago the total value
of manufactures exported was only
$3l 100000.
Nearly every branch of manufacture
ing business has benefited by foreign
purchasers during the last twelve
months. There have been increased sales
of our manufactures of iron and steel,
cotton and leather, cars and carriages,
agricultural implements, mineral oils,
| furniture, paper, paraffin, scientific in
| struments, manufactures of India rub
Der and fiber and other less important
| items. Locomotives, metal working ma
| chinery. builders hardware, sewing ma
chimes, electrical machinery, typewriters,
| structural iron and steel, wire and agri-
cultural implements have all advanced
in popular estimation in foreign lands,
as shown by increased purchases of these
articles of American construction.
Prior to 1898 imports of manufac-
lures were always greater in value than
exports of manufactures, but since that
year exports of manufactures have ex-
ceeded similar imports in value except
in single year, 1903. For the last
| fiscal year the manufactures exported
exceeded by about $6O,OOO,OOO the value
of all manufactures imported, even in
Guiding those partially manufactured ar
ticles brought into this country for use
in manufacturing.
Exports of domestic products soon will
reach the large sum of $l,OO0,000,000
annually if the rate of increase during
last year should continue During the
fiscal year of l904-5 the value of bread
stuffs, provisions, cotton and mineral oil
exported amounted to $751; ,459,754. For
the last twelve months it was $S9O,57S,-
SOFA gain of sl39,lls,75O. The gain
is due principally to increased sales of
wheat and flour, earn, oats and barley.
| There was gain of only 100000 in
the sales of cattle, hogs and sheep, but
an increase of S39,0O0,00 in provisions
which included animal and dairy prod
ucts.
Evidently the packing house scandals
affected the market for our beef and
hog products In June, 1905, there was
exported canned beef valued at $6l9,S3S
In June of 1906 exports of this amount
ed to only $29l,774 There was a loss
of $4,000 in the value of cured beef eX
ported, 100000 in hams, 100000 in
pork and Sal 900 offset, fortunately, by
gain OF $l67 900 in the export of fresh
beef and $S36,O00 in bacon.
1t was well for the statistics of the
year that the beef scandal came at its
close, for in the preceding months there
were large gains in all animal products
save canned beef, which dropped $l45,
600 below the value of the exports of
1905, and hams, of which $l9,3S4,9Sl