The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-07-20
Some Comments on Exports;
 Through Mobile Trade Must Go

The report of Major Tibbetts, show ing imports and exports at Mobile for the fiscal year. ending June 30th. is ooth- pleasing at the same time dis turbing. It is pleasing to note that no better report was ever made. It Is pleasing to see that notwithstanding the heavy stacking up in lumber and timber handled the port shows a net gain of over s3.000000 for the year. It is pleasing to see enormous gains in exports to France and Germany. It is encouraging to know that every inch gained in channel depth now ofici- ally declared to be twenty-three feet; :; thus restoring ante storm conditions means great increase in business.
 There is a disturbing side. however. If sisal had not come back to Mobile there would have been a shrinkage in imports of over a million and three quarters; thus showing that Mobile is not yet safely established as a port of entry for the finer dutiable goods It Is stated that there has been a gain Of over 70 per cent in duties collected But these duties were collected OH only q total valuation of $305.656; a trifiing figure. only noteworthy because con- trasted with a still more trifiing figure In the preceding year.
 The export figures deserve close in- spection. They show a heavy decline over 50 per cent--in South American trade; the total of all that went to Ar geutina, Columbia, Brazil. and Uruguay, Probably much of this decline was in timber and lumber. The decline Is dis turbing nevertheless as 1t shows that the higher grades of exports are not yet reaching the world through the port of our only hope as an exporting state. Tn fact. do any of the Collectors figures yet satisfactorily prove that we are an exporting state? Do they not rather show that Alabama is still merely traversed by exports from less favored states more actively developed7
 We exported of coal only $4.000 worth though we hold Southern mo- nopoly of it. We exported of iron and steel less than $750.00 worth though the world Is ours. in that no spot is more favored than Alabama and no market less supplied than the lands lying south of us. We exported no ce- ment (uniess 1t was included in the Collectors report on ''Misceiianeaus'1 though cement is one of our greatest unused riches. We import cement at Mobile during 1908.
 Cuba received through Mobile $7,50f,- ss1 worth of goods during 1908. The greater part of this was foodstuffs. A visit to Munson line docks pending Ine lOaOink or a pOaL enoWS immense. barricades of packing-house products. Mobile handled about s2.000s000 worth for Cuba. They came from afar: though nearby and all through Alaba- ma Is a hog land unedualled for cheap raising; cassava and velvet beans be- ing a monopoly of the Gulf counties: peanuts, sweet, potatoes, cow-peas, and cotton seed meal belonging to all the State. The possibilities of corn are not even developed. ..-s -..--
 There, are flowing streams or wells of good water everywhere, and a natur- al alfalfa or grazing land wherever there is lime in. the soil: and that is from the lower. limit of the black belt clear to the nothern limit of the state. Mobile hand1edsa ia greater value of eggs than of coal. bnt these were not Ala hama eggs. We@do not raise enough for our own consumption. The same is true of the dairy products exported.
 It Is true that such an analysis of the report may be regarded as disturb ing It may disturb Mobiles surface at the gain shown. But such an analysis is not discouraging. It simply emphasizes the fact that the of Alabama has scarcely begun and is challenge to our busi-