East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-04-07

gon is the chief port, for some years
at the head of the list, dropped from
! first place In 1906 to third in 1907
on account of the decline OF importa-
tions of rice. This decline is in turn
due to the fact that the Philippines
are supplying their own needs more
completely in that commodity. Also
that wheat flour is taking the place
OF rice, as indicated hv lie growth oi
the former.
1t is to be noted that imports from
the United States have gained In
about the same proportion as have
those OF England, in spite of the fact
that the carrying trade Of the United
States shows a marked decline, while
that of England has noticeably in
creased. A few of the leading i'm
ports and the values thereof are:
Cotton. closely woven cloth, $4,-
607,o59; cotton. loosely woven cloth,
s1,0O5,691: cotton, yard and thread,
I,S2l,77S; cotton, knit fabrics, $780,
900; rice, $3,662,493; cattle, $1,O5S,-
SS4; wheat flour, $SS9,174; iron and
steel and manufactures OF $2544,g92.
Importatiuns of Illuminating oil
have practically doubled during the
year, amounting in all to $790,447.
OF this the United States supplied
S551,6s9, an increase of $279.46S.
But the percentage of the United
STATES In the total baffic fell from
rs to So, while that of the Dutch
East Indies increased from IL to 25
Iand the British East Indies from
nothing TO 4. Russia dropped out
of the competition.
or the 100000 worth of wheat
flour imported, less than $500. 600
worth came from the United States.
Australians percentage has risen grad
ually to 8. The report states that "it
can hardly be doubted that the an
plication of the coastwisetrade laws
in 1903 will probably give this entire
trade to Australia"
Iron and steel imports from the
United States increased in volume
but fell in percentage Of the whole of
such imports from 3S 10 33.
lmportations of distilled spirits
show a slight gain, but the trade of
the United States is actually and rel
atively less than in preceding years.
being at present but 25 per cent.
The race for supremacy in the i'm
port trade Of the Philippine islands
lies between the United States and
England
Hemp the Leading Export-the Car
rying Trade.
The values of exports, inclusive of
currency during the past year is the
greatest in the history OF American
occupation. More than third OF the
values went to the United States. while
England ranked second and France
| third as a customer.
Hemp is still the chief article of ex-
port, the value amounting to $21,OS5, =
OS1, or Al per cent OF the total ex-
ports. gain during the year of ST.
6SS,S12, This was largely due to an
advance In price, though the tonnage
also increased. More than half of the
crop went to the United States.
Marked changes are observed in the
carrying trade during the past year.
British vessels cardried Sc per cent Of
the volume of imports and 76 per cent
of the exports for 1907, an increase
for the former from $14,94O,9S4 to
$16,697111, and for the latter from
$25, ,294,SS5 to $26,O15,O19 Spanish
German, japanese snd Philippine ves-
sells show a decline in import cargo
trade from $1,7S3,266 in 1906 to $942,-
$40 In 1907, and an equally marked
,lt cl're In tho cxrort trade. or i'm
norts from the United States only
1853 per cent was carried in American
bottoms.
Unless more American bottoms are
10 be found for the traffic at compet-
tive freight rates, the traffic must
necessarily go to other countries in