St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1909-12-11
MILLIONS FOR TOYS
VAST SUM INVESTED IN PLAY
THINGS FOR THE CHILDREN.
Statistics Compiled az Washington
Show $so,ooo,ooo Worth Were Inn
ported and 100000 in Ex-
ports in the Last Decade.

Fifty million dollars worth of toys
have been imported into the United
States in the last decade and $5,000,-
900 worth exported in the same time,
according to report from Washing
ton. The high water mark in the ex-
port Of this class of American manu-
features was reached in the fiscal year
Just ended, the total value of toys eX-
ported exceeding for the first time ST.
100000. On the import side the high
water mark was reached nj 1908, when
the value CT toys imported was ST.
100000, dropping to about $5,000,000
In 1909.
Despite the fact that the manufac-
turers of the United States have in
creased their investments of capital
in toy-making from less than $1,000
600 in 1880 to $4,750,0O0 in 1905, and
increased the value of their output of
toys from $1,5O0,OOO in 1880 to $780,
900 in 1905, the importations of this
class of merchandise have grown
steadily meantime.
To be sure, the figures of the fiscal
year 1909 are slightly below those Of
1908, the record year, but this is a part
of the general reduction in imports of
manufactures which characterizes the
record of the fiscal year 1909, and
cannot be looked upon as permanent
depression in this line of importation,
since the monthly figures in the clos
ing part of the year 1909 showed larg-
er totals than the corresponding
months of 1908, thus Indicating a re-
Vival in the imports of toys.
The toy impOrtations into the Unit
ed States, as shown by the reports of
the bureau of statistics of the depart
ment Of commerce and labor, have, as
already indicated, aggregated in round
terms $50,000000 in the last decade.
Under the general title "Toys" the
bureau of statistics reports imports
valued at $4,869,097 in the fiscal year
1909, $7,206,423 worth in the year 1908,
$6,993,561 worth in 1907 and S.
887,S63 worth in 1906 In 1904 the
total was in round terms 100000
worth, in 1908, $4,250,00O, in 1902 $4,-
100000, in 1901, $3,75O,O00, and in 1900
about 100000 worth, making the
aggregate for the decade approximate
ly $50000,000 value.
Meantime, toy manufactures in the
United States apparently amounted to
about an equal sum, or an average of
about $5,000,000 year, since the cen
sus record shows the product of 1905
at $5,577, 693, and that of 1900 at $4,-
024,999. This would indicate that the
toys supplied to the people of the
United States during the decade have
aggregated about $100,000,000, stated
in the valuation of the importers and
home manufacturers, and not in the
prices at which sold to consumers. Of
this approximately, however, there
was exported during the decade about
100000 worth.
The trade in toys, both as to i'm
ports and exports, is largely develop
ment of the last decade The total
value of toys imported in 1899, dec
ade ago, was but $2,25O,O0O; in 1900 it
as already indicated, reached approx
mately 100000, then slowly, but
steadily increased, passing the $4,000
900 mark in 1902, the $5,OO0,OOO mark
in 1906, the $6,O00,OO0 line in 1907 and
the $7,000,000 line in 1908, but drop
ping in 1909, importations of manufac-
lures, to a little less than 100000,
but with an upward movement again
in the closing months of the year. In
June, 1909, for example, the value of
toys imported was $544,342, against
$524,376 in the corresponding month
of the preceding year, indicating that
the record for the fiscal year 1910
will probably exceed that of 1909 and
may equal that of the high record
year, 1908. Meantime the expectation
of toys, which amounted to but $780,
900 in 1900, passed the 100000 line in
1904, the 100000 line in 1908, and
passed the $1,O0O,0OO line in 1909, the
total for that year being $1,098,1S7.
Germany is the worlds leading pur-
veyor of toys, at least by far the larg-
est source Of supply for the United
States and presumably larger manu-
facturer than any other country, Son.
neberg alone, it is said, producing an
nually some 24,0O0,000 articles, repre-
senting about $4,0OO,OOO value, while
Nuremberg and other cities of Ger
many are also large producers in this
line.
The value of toys imported into the
United States from Germany in 1908
the high record year, was $6,50O,000,
out of total of $7,250,000 imported
in that year. The largest value of
toys imported from any other country
in that year was:-France, $1S0,472;
Austria-H Hungary, $179,41S; Japan,
$177,72O; Belgium, $61,551, and the
United Kingdom, $57,725.
Big Demand for United States Stamps.
T. P. Corwi1 of GAINESVILLE, O., who
is a collector of rare stamps, was in
Washington the other day in pursuit