Arizona republican., 1907-08-04
THE COLONIES
 OF AMERICA
Their Contribution to Its
 Commercial Wealth
A Statement of the Growth of Exports and Imports In Ten Years.

Washington. Aug. 1.-The commerce of the United States with its noncon- tiguous territories in the fiscal year 1907 amounted to 142 million dollars, against less than B millions in 1897. The exports from the United States to those territories in 1907 amounted to 67 I-4 million dollars. against 10 2-3 millions in 1897, and the imports from those territories practically 15 million dollars, against A millions decade earlier. These figures relate to mer- chandise only. If to this total 15 mill lion dollars worth of imports from the noncontiguOus territories were added the gold produced in and brought from Alaska. amounting in 1907 to nearly IS l-2 million dollars. the total value of all products brought into the United States from it's noncontiguOus terri tories would aggregate 93 million dol lars.
 While the trade with all the territo- ries in question shows a marked growth during the decade. the most striking increase occurs in the trade with Porto Rico. The imports from that island in 1s97 were but slightly more than ? million dollars. and 1907 % millions or eleven times as much as in 1897: the exports to the island in 1897 were slightly less than millions. and in 1907 more than 25 millions, or about thirteen times as much as a de- cade earlier. From the Philippines the imports in 1S97 were 1-3 millions and in 1907 II 1-2 millions. or about two and one-half times as much as a de- cade ago. while exports to those islands were in 1897 but 95 thousand dollars and in 1907 12 million dollars. From Hawaii the imports in 1S91 were 13 2-3 | willion dollars and in 1907 29 millions, and the exports thereto. which in 1S97 were 2-3 millions. were in 1907 IA 1-2 { millions. From Alaska the merchandise ! received in 1897 was valued at about 1 million dollars and in 1907 little more than 12 millions. while the ship ments to Alaska. which in 1897 were about millions, were in 1907 IS 1-2 millions.
 1 This increase in trade with the non contiguous territories of the United States occurs. in it's shipments to those territories, in all classes of products. both food stuffs and manufacturers. ! the chief increase occurs in the few ar ticles in which their industries are at present specialized Figures just com pleted by the bureau of statistics of the department of commerce and labor show that of the imports from Porto Rico. amounting to about % million dollars in 1907, about Ia million dol lars was the value of sugar. , millions tobacco. nearly million fruits. and the remainder miscellaneous products, while in 1897 the value of sugar inn ported from Porto Rico was but 1 l-2 million dollars.
 From Hawaii the importations are almost exclusively sugar. which in 1907 amounted to nearly 2s million dollars out of the % million million dollars worth of merchandise recefv- cd into the United States from those islands, while in 1897 the value of sugar imported therefrom was 13 mil Hons.
 From the Philippines the chief inn ports are hemp. which in 1907 amount ed to about II million dollars, and SUI gar. which in 1907 amounted to less than a half million dollars against 1-2 millions in 1906.
 From Alaska the chief articles form ing the 12 million dollars worth oi merchandise received at ports of the United States are canned salmon. s l.: million dollars: other fish half million dollars. and furs little more than q half million dollars. while of gold pro- duced in Alaska. the total receipts dur. ing the year just ended Were over 1, million dollars value. or two and on, half times the cost of that territory. Breadstuffs. meats. cotton cloth iron and steel manufactures. and man. ufactures of leather are the most i'm. portant among the numerous article.
 exported from the United States to it.
 noncontiguous territories. To Port,
 Rico the shipments of cotton goods chiefly cloths. amounted in 1907 {, about 3 1-2 million dollars: of bread | StuffS chiefly flour about 10 r,iu