Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1908-12-28
FOREIGN
COMMERCE
IN 1908


ted States is not alone in the record
OF samAlr IMPORTS and smaller ex-
por.s which viii characterize the his
tory of our foreign commerce in "A =
year ABOUT to end. or the 25 prin .
cipel countries of the world whose
foreign commerce the bureau Of sta D..
t.stics OF the department OF COM
merce and labor records month hy
month and year by year, all but folr
show falling of in exports aad
nearly Two thirds show fall ing off
in imports.
The bureau OF statistics presents
in its monthly summary OF com.
merce and finance a statement show
ing the imports and exports OF eaca
OF the principal countries OF the
world for that portiDn OF their re-.
spectlve fiscal years availabls, aad
compares the imports and exports of
the accumulated months with the
corresponding months OF the preced-
ing year, and with this staten cnt
of he average monthly imports and
average monthly exports OF each OF
the countries in question during the
latest period for which the respect
i've statements are available The
countries included in this statement
are Argentina, Australia, Austria
Hungary, Belgium. Brazil, Canada,
Chi e. China, Cuba. Egypt. France,
Germany, italy Japan, Mexico
Netherlands, Norway, Russia Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland. the United
States. and number OF smaller
countries. In all of the importan.
cases except China, Chile, and the
Netherlands. the figures Of certain
months of the year 1908 are now
availab g.
An examination OF his statement
shows that in every country for
which 1908 figures are available,
with the exceptions OF Argentina.
Spain. Greece, and Sweden, the ex-
ports OF 1908 fall below those Of
1907 while in practically two thirds
OF the cases the imports of 1908
also fail below those for a CORES
ponding period OF 1907. Taking
the full list OF the countries In ques-
ton, but emitting the United States
the average monthly importation of
the more than score of principal
countries thus included has fallen
from 935 million dollars in 1907 to
$50 millions in 1908, and the av-
erage monthly expectation has fall
en- from S04 million dollars in 1907
to 739 millions in 1908.
1t will thus be seen that the fall
ing off OF the approximately 800
millions dollars in imports, AMI per-
haps $50 mi lions n exports in the
commerce of The United States dur
ng the calendar year 1908, is mere
ly part Of general condition which
prevailed the world over. Probably
the failing off in our own imports
larger, proportionatey than that
of many other countries. Prior to
the financial depression which be-
gan in October, 1907, and the indus
trial and commercial depression
which quickly followed, the imports
INTO the United States were making
an unusually high record, ranging
from 1874 millions In December 1906
and 1873 millions in March, 1907,
20 125 millions in August, 1906, LOG
millions in September, and Ill mill
ions N October, 1907. With the re-
duction in activity in the manufac-
turing industries and thefonssquent
reduction in demand for manufact-
urers' materials, the importations
fell to 90 millions I'm December.
1907, 85 millions In January 1908,
and as low as 81 millions I'm May
of 1908, this period from December
1907, to October, 1908, showing a
lower record OF imports than any
other like period since the calendar
year 1904. In October, 1908, how
ever, marked increase In imports
occurred, and also in November, the
total for the latter month being 1914
million dollars and justifying an es-
innate Of LOO millions as the total
imports Of the calendar year 1908.
On the export side. The period