Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-01
REACHES MANY MILLIONS
Annual Report of Chief of Bureau of
Statistics.
NOTABLE INCREASE SHOWN
Growing Dependence of Uncle Sam
for Food and Manufactures
Materials illustrated.

materials is illustrated by some figures
just made public in the annual report OF
the chief of the bureau of statistics,
Department of Commerce and Labor
They show that practically S60O,oOO,oo
worth of products of tropical and sub
tropical countries come into the United
States annually against practically S2o,-
100000 worth in 1879, and practically
oOOOO.oO0 worth in 1895
The report enumerates certain tropical
and subtropical products brought into the
country to the value of SJ16O00,oU in l3oS
and SJ67. 0OO, 900 in 1907. but does not IN
Clude the imported articles manufactured
from troupcial products and certain other
groups of articles, of which a part are
brought from the tropics and part from
temperate zone countries.
II to the imported tropical products.
distinctly enumerated as such, is added
those imported articles manufactured
from tropical products and proper share
of the other articles coming in part from
tropical countries. the grand total would
approximate S6o0.00O0OO. or practically
S2,O000oo TO revery business day of the
year, and form practically one-half of the
total imports into the country
Sugar, coffee. tea, cocoa, fruits and nuts,
rice sage. tapco.a. spices. tobacco. india
rubber, silk. cotton, hemp, Jute. slsai.
cabinet woods. gums. cork. dyewoods ana
numerous other articles fthis character
and subtropcal products brought into con-
tinental United States in 1908 and the
SJ6l,OCO,GO worth brought in 1907.
Reasons for Some Reductions.
The falling off in tropical and subtropi-
cal products imported in 1908 occurs
chiefly india rubber. silk. cotton, jute.
hemp and sisal. part of this reduction
being due TO lower prices and a part to
the partial suspension of activities in the
manufacturing industries by which they
are consumed
In practically all these imports. how
ever. the closing months of the calendar
year 1908 show a marked increase. and
1t is probable that the record of 1909 will
bring the total of tropical and subtropical
imports again in the vicinity of the six
hundred-milion-dolla line.
In the above statement of tropical and
subtropical articles imported no mention
is made of the twenty-three million dol
lars worth of jute burlaps imported
from India. the five and a half million COL
lars worth of goatskins brought from In
dia. the four and half million dollars
worth of goatskins brought from Latin
America, to say nothing of the forty to
fifty. million dollars worth of imported
tin. copper. iron, lead and other minerals
originating in the tropical countries but
not classed as tropical products" South
America, Central America Mexico. Cuba
and the other West Indian Islands, the
Hawaiian Islands. the Philippines. the
Dutch East Indies and Straits Settle
ments. India and the southeastern Asia
are the chief contributors in this large
supply of tropical and subtropical arti-
cleS imported.
Sugar, Coffee and Tobacco.
of the 1S3 million dollars worth of cane
sugar brought into continental United
States in the fiscal year 1905 Cuba con-
tributed IS million dollars worth. Porto
Rico 10 million dollars worth, the Ha-
waiian Islands 40 million dollars worth
and the Dutch East Indies II million dol
lars worth. OF the 6s million dollars
worth OF coffee brought in in the fiscal
year 1908. Brazil contributed As million
dollars worth. other South American
countries millions. Central America A..
millions. Mexico ga millions, and the East
Indies little over / million dollars
worth. OF the IA million dollars worth Of
cocoa imported in 1908 AZ millions came
from the British West Indies. millions
from other West Indies: practically mil
lions from Brazil, and 2Ia millions from
other South American states.
OF the - million dollars worth of to-
bacco Including in this term the manu-
featured as well as manufactured arti-
cles) brought into continental United
States in 1908. L. million dollars worth
came from Cuba in the crude state and
million dollars worth in the manufactured
form. million dollars worth from the
Netherlands in the form of wrappers for
cigars. 312 millions from Porto Rico in the
form Of cigars. and 1l2 million dollars
worth from that island in the unmanu-
featured form. OF the 141a million dollars
worth of cotton imported in 1908. 12A
million dollars worth came from Egypt.
Fruits and Nuts.
of the - million dollars worth of
fruits and nuts. 11ia million dollars con-
sisted of bananas. of which practically q
millions came from Central America and
nearly millions came from the British
West Indies: while the j.; million dol
lars worth of lemons came chiefly from
Italy. Of the 36,2 million dollars worth
Of india rubber imported in 1908. 70 mil
lion dollars worth came from Brazil
nearly million dollars worth from Mex
leo. while about 10 million dollars worth
which is credited to Europe, was chiefly
the product of Africa. with smaller
quantities from the British possessions
in India, Ceylon and the Malayan PENN
Sula.
OF the ID million dollars worth of tea
imported in 1905, Japan contributed about
one-half, China about one-fourth. while
the remainder came chiefly from India
and Ceylon. IL part of 1t direct from these
countries and part of 1t by way of the
United Kingdom. OF the 81 million dol
lars worth of raw silk usually consid-
cred at least subtropical product
~ million dollars worth came from
Japan IL million dollars worth from
Italy. Si4 million dollars worth from
China and u million dollars worth from
France. OF the II million dollars worth
of goatSkins imported in 1908. though not
usually cldSsed as d tropical importation.
~. million dollars worth came from the
last Indies practically = million dollars
worth from Mexico. nearly million dol
lars worth from Brazil. l million dollars
worth from other South American coun-
tries and a half million dollars worth
from oceanic and Africa.
Comparatively Small Exports.
Most of this large and growing supply
Of tropical and sub;ropical material
comes from sections to which. at present,
our exports comparatively small.
Brazil and Cuba supply IA larger share
of these tropical products than any other
two countries. From Brazil our imports
are practically five times great as our
exports thereto. The figures OF trade
with Brazil in the fiscal year 1907, nor
NAL trade year. show imports from that
country 9S million dollars. and exports
to that country 10 millions
In the case OF Cuba the imports there
from amounted. In the fiscal year 1907,
10 3712 millions and the exports thereto
To 10 millions: I'm the case Of British
India the imports from that country in
1891 amounted to 20 millions and the eX-
ports thereto 10 millions; in the case
of the Straits Settlements. the imports
therefrom amounted to II millions and
the exports thereto to liz millions; In the