Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1907-07-25
Our slice Of the worlds Trade.

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Our Slice Of the Worlds Trade.
The annual value Of b e'imports Of all
the countries for which statistics are
available Is set down at $13, 739, 697,-
| 900, and the total value Of their exports
is set down at $12, 496, 10000, these
figures of exports including only the
domestic products exported and not
including the foreign or colonial mer-
| chandise brought into the country and
re-exported. The total imports Of the
countries other than the United States
are given at $12,513, 143,OOO and the
share Of these imports drawn from the
United States at 81, 79s, 1884, 900, or
14.3 z per cent Of the total. The total
exports Of the countries other than the
United States are given at 1 O,778,466,-
600 and the share sent to the United
States at $1,O31,113,OOo. or 9.57 per
cent Of the total.
The foregoing is condensed from a
table issued by the bureau Of statis-
tics at Washington, which contains
many facts of general interest. We
buy and sell pretty much the world
over, but distance does not always
regulate the fluctuations of our foreign
commerce. To quote from the bureaus
statement:
The countries in which the largest share
Of the trade occurs with the United States
are as a rule those of the American con-
tinent and those lying nearer to its mar
kets than to those Of other countries,
while in a large proportion Of cases their
products are Of the character especially
required in the United States and their
requirements chiefly of the character Of
articles largely produced in the United
States. Mexico. separated from the Unit
ed States only by an imaginary line and
penetrated by railroad lines which are op-
Grated in close conjunction with those Of
! the United States, k practically 66 per
cent Of its imports from this country and
sends 628 per cent Of its exports to our
MAfkets. W'alEsH&es&kEEaaas~
! Canada, also separated from the United
States only by an imaginary line and with
close railroad and other facilities for In
accommodation. takes practically 60 per
cent Of her imports from the United
States and sends 30 per cent OF her ex-
ports to this country.
The Central American states draw prac-
tically one-half of their imports from the
United States and send to US a like pro-
portion Of their exports.
The countries Of the northern part of
South America, those fronting upon the
Caribbean, also take a large share (aver-
aging about one-third) OF their imports
from the United States and send an equal
ly large share Of their exports to the
United States.
Cub sends S61a per cent Of its exports
to the United States and takes As 1-3 per
cent of it's imports from this country. the
exports in question being chiefly sugar
and tobacco, and the imports railway
supplies, lumber, manufactures of all
sorts. foodstuffs and coal.
Brazil, which supplies a very large share
Of our coffee and rubber, sends us Al per
cent of It's exports and takes 10 1-3 per
cent of Its imports from us, the latter
composed chiefly of manufactures and
meats.
Turning to the old world, the table
shows that the percentage which our
products form Of the imports of Euro
pean countries is much larger than the
percentage of their exports coming
here. For instance, the United King
dom takes 81 per cent of her imports
from the United States, but the share
Of her exports taken by this country is
only 7.25 per cent. About Ia per cent
Of Germany's imports have come from
the United States, while Of her exports
less than 10 per cent anne here. Aus
tro-Hungary imported from us 1917 per
cent Of her total and sent 2 1-3 per cent
Of her exports here. Italy's imports
and exports are about even with US,
IL per cent of her total both way be,
ing United States trade. The United
States sends France over 10 per cent
Of her imports and takes 6 per cent OF
her total exports.
In the orient our conditions airy
greatly. Japan takes 21 per cent of bel
imports from the United States and
sends us 80 per cent Of her exports
China's trade is about the same pro
portion. but the other way. She buys
about II per cent of her imports from
this country, and - per cent Of her ex.
ports come direct here. India and java
sell us about five times as much az
they buy from us. Our share in Tur
keys foreign trade is trifing both go
ing and coming. Our healthiest trade
across the Atlantic is with countries
whose products we could perhaps ge
along without, like the British isles
Germany, Italy and France. As a rule
the goods imported from those coun
tries are produced at home, but in less
valued grades.