Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1906-05-03
PROSPERITY INCREASING.
Will Continue Unchecked for Years
Ii Discomfort Does Not
Creep In.

A bulletin just issued by the de-
partment of commerce states that
American exports for eight months
ending with February exceeded in
value those for eight months ending
with February, 1905, by $l90,OOO,0OO.
Of this increase $133, 100000 was of
agricultural products, while $45,OO0,-
600 was of manufactures.
By themselves, says the Chicago In
ter Ocean, these figures mean little
but considered in their proper rela-
tions they give a striking indication
of our national prosperity. And to
understand what these relations are
VIC must remember that there are four
great groups of articles of foreign
commerce, three consisting of both i'm
ports and exports and a fourth of
imports alone. The progress of for
eign trade with respect to each of
these groups is here summarized on
the basis of the figures of each for
the first seven or eight months of the
last three fiscal years-the months
ending with January or February.
1. Foodstuffs, agricultural exports,
and food imports. This is still our
largest class of exports. Its value
was $700,000,000 for the period end
ing with February last as against
$567, 100000 and $658, 100000 for the
same periods ending with February in
1905 and 1904 1t grows, but irregu-
laTly, from year to year, according to
the harvests here and abroad. Food
imports are practically stationary,
now ranging around 100000 600 for the
period. But for our failure so far to
develop as we might sugar and coffee
growing in our new possessions these
imports would decline rapidly.
2. Materials raw or partly manufac-
tured, of industry. Our mine and
forest exports are practically sta
tionary and tend to decline. We are
using these products more and more
at home. But our imports of materi-
ais are increasing steadily. They
were $199, 100000 in the eight months
ending with February, 1904; S231,-
100000 for the period ending with
February, 1905; had already reached
$221 100000 by the end of last Jan
uary, and by the end of the year will
doubtless break all records.
3. Manufactures. Imports practical
ly stationary, ranging now around
$12,O00,000 for the period and tending
to decline. Exports growing steadi-
ly and rapidly, and increased from
$28S,O0O 600 for the period ending with
February, 1904 to $342 ,00O,0 900 for the
period ending with February, 1905, to
1887 0OOO for the period ending with
last February.
4. LuXuries imports only They
We're $6,000,000 for the period ending
with February, 1904; $9,OOOOO0 for
the period ending with February
1905, and about $12,500,000 for the
period ending with last February.
These figures show prosperity all
along the line Those of the second
and third groups are particularly in.
teresting. The prosperity of our agri.
cultural interests requires no argu.
ment. These figures show that not
only is this nation one of the worlds
great food storehouses, but that it is
also becoming its greatest workshop.
We are selling to other countries
less of our materials and buying more
of theirs. We are buying less OF
their manufactures and selling them
more and more of ours. We are
Strengthening our position as increas
| ers of the value of commodities by
| industry. And our increasing pur
| chases of luXuries show that not only
are we doing more work, but that il
/ is also profitable work, giving us
money to spend for things not neces
sary.
/ There is no question about our great
and increasing prosperity. And, while
all things human are transtory, there
| is no question that this eXuberant
prosperity will be unchecked for some
| years, if we do not become discon
tented with it and spoil it by failing
to treat the conditions and institution:
under which it has been attained with
| common sense.