Arizona republican., 1907-06-17
The Increase h Exports
Last Year
At the Same Time, a Big
ger Per Capita Demand
at Home.

and millions in the same months OF
1905, while flour exports also show an
increase, though not so strongly
marked. For the full fiscal year
which ends with June. the exports of
wheat, including flour. in terms Of
wheat, will probably aggregate about
40 million bushels. against 9S mil
lions in the fiscal year 1896 and a.
millions in 1905. These figures, taken
from the export returns of the bureau
of statistics of the department Of
commerce and labor. suggest that the
tribute to the breadstuff supply Of the
other parts of the world is still con-
siderable in years of normal crops.
Notwithstanding the growth of the
consuming population and the drift of
population from the agricultural era
to the manufacturing centers-
This recent increase in exports Of
wheat is the natural sequence of the
large crop of 1906. which was the sec
ond largest ever produced in the
United States. A comparison of the
export figures with those Of produc-
ton for a term of years shows that in
crease Of diminution of exports fol-
lows closely the production of the year
Immediately preceding. After the very
high crop of 1901. amounting to over
74s million bushels, the crop Of the
United States fell steadily to $40 mil
lion bushels in 1902. 63s million BUSH
els in 1903. and 552 million bushels in
1904 Correspondence. the exports Of
wheat. having reached their high water
mark of almost 155 million bushels in
the fiscal year 1902. fell to ia million
bushels in 1903. a million bushels in
1904. and million bushels in 1905. The
exports Of wheat flour have suffered
less. but were also materially reduced
from 20 million barrels in the fiscal
year 1903 to IL million barrels in 1904
and less than million barrels in 1905.
TIL total exports OF wheat from the
United States. including flour in terms
Of wheat. were In the fiscal year 1902,
234 million bushels; in 1908. 203 mil
lion bushels: in 1904 121 million BUSH
els. and 1905. only ~ million bushels.
The wheat exporting power of the
United States was then thought by
many to be practically at an end.
But the high crop of 1905 C693 mil
lion bushels) was Immediately re-
Elected in the exports. In the fiscal
year 1906 the exports of wheat rose to
35 million bushels. and the exports of
flour TO II million barrels, the total
in terms of wheat being IS million
bushels. as against "A million bushels
in 1905 The still higher crop of 1906
C135 million bushels) further increased
the exports. as is shown by the figures
for the ten months ending April 1907.
quoted above. and the total shipments
of wheat during the entire fiscal year
may be estimated at about IS million
bushels. and of wheat and flour COM
bined at about 140 million bushels.
Thus it appears that the United
States has regained in part at least,
its position as one of the important
wheat exporting countries of the
world. Nevertheless. the wheat sur
plus of the United States is not so
large as il was some years ago. The
crop of 1901. 74S million bushels. was
followed by exports Of 235 million
bushels. while the crop Of 1906 OF 7S5
million bushels, or only 13 million
bushels smaller, will leave an export
of only about 40 million bushels
taking the three year periods. 1902 1904
and 1905-1907, the average annual pro-
duction during the first period was
6s5 million bushels and the exports
tof both wheat and wheat flour) 1s6
million bushels or q per cent of the
crop while during the last period the
average production was $50 million
bushels and the exports estimating the
exports for 1867 at 40 million BUSH
eis) only "a millions or IA per cent of
the crop. The average home con-
sumption during the three years end
ing June 80. 1904. was 499 million
bushels and during the last three years
SCI million bushels, or So million BUSH
els more. This Is explained partly by
the increase in population, but also
by an increased per capita consump-
ton.
1t is questionable whether the Unit
ed States will ever export as large a
share of its crop in thefuture as 1t has
exported in the past. The portion ex-
ported often rose to as much as 40 per
cent. 1t fell below 20 per cent for the
first time in the fiscal year 1904. when
II was 1892 per cent. In 1905 il was
only 7.9S per cent, and in 1906 14Os
per cent. Estimating the exports dur
ing the current year at 40 million
bushels. it will again constitute about
10 per cent of the past years crop;
but in absolute quantities the fall was
not so great. In 1883 and again in
In 1883 the exports fell below 100 mil
lion bushels. In fifteen years out of
the twenty seven ending June 80. 1906.
1t fell below $50 million bushels. A
higher price has often in the past
caused rapid increase in acreage in
this country. just as a drop in prices
caused drop in acreage from 1885,
900 to 44,015,00O acres, while the high
prices of 1904 caused an increase from
44.OI5,000 to 47.S54.00O acres Thus,
while rapidly increasing quantity of
wheat rs demanded for home consump-
ton, II is yet possible for the American
northwest and southwest to produce a
surplus for sale abroad,
so long as the world price justifies
such production.
The production of "a uboaf v,,rrl,,-