Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1907-08-19
YEARS
OF IMPORTS
An Increase IN Value Of
100 Per, Gent
A Showing Due Chiefly to
Steadily Raising Prices
Abroad.

increase OF more than 100 per cent in
imports into the United States since
1899 seems TO be largely due to an ad-
vance in prices abroad of the articles
imported. While there has been more
or less actual Increase in the quantity
imported Of most of the principal ar
/ ticles forming the import trade. an
analysis just being made by the bureau
/ of statistics of that trade in 1907 COM
pared with that of 1899 indicates that
the increase in the total value of i'm
ports is largely due to advance in
prices of the principal articles form
ing the bulk of importations into the
United States.
This analysis. which Is being made
both of imports and exports, includes
every article imported or exported i'm
which the quantity as well as the val
ue is stated in the monthly returns
made to the bureau OF statistics, and
of which the average valuation per
unit of quantity can thus be determ-
ined by dividing stated quantity into
stated value. A comparison of the i'm
port and export prices per unit Of
quantity in 1907 with those of the ear
lier years thus gives an opportunity to
determine TO what extent the Increase
In total value Of imports or exports is
due TO increased quantities.. on the one
hand. or TO advance in prices, on the
other.
While the number Of articles form
ing the 1.i00 million dollars worth Of
merchandise imported in the fiscal
year 1907 is so great that a study OF
prices of each could not be made with
in a reasonable limit of space. 1t is
practicable 10 compare prices for
few of the most important of the arti-
cles imported. This comparison of the
figures OF 1907 is made with those for
1899. that year being selected. first. be-
cause imports have almost exactly
doubled in value since that time. and.
second. because the fiscal year 1899
was sufficiently distant from the en-
actfnent Of the tariff law Of 1897 to be
considered as fairly normal In its i'm
port trade and not affected. as were
the imports of immediately preceding
years. by changes. actual or prospect
i've. in rates OF duty.
While the total value OF merchan-
disc imported in 1907 was s1.434.421.425
against ss97. 14s,4s9 in 1899. it is prac-
ticable to find a few great articles
which aggregate practically one-half
of this enormous sum. In the great
group foodstuffs four articles-sugar,
coffee. tea and cocoa-aggregate prac-
tically 5000, ,O00. 900 in value in the i'm
ports OF 1907, and in the two groups
raw materials for use in manufactur-
ing and manufacturers for further use
in manufacturing. dozen reat articles
aggregate nearly s50O.00O.O00 in value.
this dozen articles being hides and
skins. silk, rubber. wool. fibers. copper.
and nitrate of soda.
With all of these 16 great articles
aggregating in value nearly one-half
OF the total imports. it Is practicable
To compare quantities. values. and
prices of goods imported in 1907 with
those of 1899. the year in which i'm
port values We're slightly less than
one-half OF those of 1907.
Taking the four principal articles
forming the great group foodstuffs. the
bureau of statistics finds comparative
~ small increases either in quantity or
in value OF imports (save in the single
article cocoa). while in the dozen great
articles for use in manufacturing 1t
finds In nearly every case marked ad-
vances in quantities and still greater
advances in values.
The total value OF all foodstuffs i'm
ported in 1907 was s30s. .OO0. 900. and the
four principal articles forming the
group are sugar, coffee. tea, and cacao,
aggregating about 100000. 900 in value.
OF sugar. the quantity imported in 1907
was 1891 100000 pounds and in 1899
1880, ,000. 900 pounds. while the value in
1907 was s92.S06.000 and in 1899 $94.-
964.000, the actual price per pound is
1907 being 81 cents, against "a cents
in 1899. reduction OF about 12 per
cent in price. OF coffee. the imports
in 1907 were $4,000. 900 pounds. against
S32. .000, 900 in 1899. and the value in
1907 was $4,000. 900. against $55. .0oO. 900
in 1899. an average of &c cents per
pound in 1907 and 7.9 cents in 1899, or
an advance of about 20 per cent in the
price per pound. OF tea. the imports
in 1907 amounted to $4,000. 900 in val
ue and showed an increase of about 23
per cent in price per pound over that
OF 1899, while in cacao the imports OF
1907 were s13.000.000 In value. and
showed an advance Of a little more
than per cent in price per pound over