Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-08-27
!s.rHE NATIONS Wealth..

#fs4 * Z
------
.,cord,nr to figures compiled bythe
runls & Wagnalls company. the com
mercial growth of the United STATES '5'ts
8sinec 1900 has surpassed all previous
$ records. The various items OF THIS tins IN
crease and their respective values IN N
1900 and in 1908 respectively consul
tIitt a most interesting study. INC To-
TAI wealtf9ofs tho country in 100 was
estimated a 50 billions of dollars; and ny
in 1905, at I16 billions. These amaz-
ing totals, and the growth since 4 s09s
represent the greatest total and per-
faps the greatest per capita, wealth OF
any country Until quite recently the
greatest wealth per capita was stu
found in Great Britain; but 1t is now
believed that the per capita wealth OF
4 the United States is consid erably great
! en- than that OF any other country
Unfortunately our various statistical
tables are not wholly reliable.
We have no such authority on ma
! tionaI statistics as Mulhall, the Eng
lish statistician. Moreover, the rela-
lively. large increase in wealth as
reckoned in dollars, during the last de-
CADETS in part accounted for by the.
fall In the purchasing power of the dol
$lar itself Thus. if a dollar today pur-i
\ rhases = per cent less than 1t did ten
cars go. the national wealth as esti-.
mated in dollars would appear from the
total values to- have increased 20 per
cent. yet it5would not have changed a 7,
allSiTait wore found to8total Just one
fourth more than ten years ago. y I,
= ,oW, we had O Mulhall to tell us what
y III the real increase in value, apart from
4 tile fact that the dolar, has ia Hen In Its
power to make purchases, then we
should know about what the actual in.
" crease has heen. The apparent m
crease, that reckoncd in dollars. has
been beyond preced dent. 38
Thus the bank deposits rose from ~
billions in 1900 to IS billions in 1903
The money In circulation in this
country increased from . to 8 billions
\ In the same period.
The paid in capital Of national banks
\ increased from 622 to $40 millions OF
4 dollars.
The government disbursements rose
Il Tfon ASS to 659 millions 3; the government
( receipts Increased from 5sT to SOL nil
x lions; the customs revenue went from
( aa33S tos2s6 millions. 5
The Imports Of merchandise increased
from $50 to 1894 millions; exports in,
y creased from Ia billions to 10 billions #
8i$j3 Fa,r,1l products rose from 3.S billions
iii hiue in1s9 to rs billions of value.
in 1905. This was the greatest In
crease OF all the items. Corn and
4 wheat practically doubled in value. as
"a lid. also rye, ,siliie5 barley went from
I "a to SO millions OF dollars.
The gold coined was 80 millions in
1900. and 1852 millions in 1905. Gold
exported was As millions in 1900. and q
millions IN 1908. Gold imported: 40 mil
lions in 1900. and las millions in 1905
THE production of minerals of all
Z kinds wass1,1 billions In 1860, and 81
4 billions in 1905 OF this total, coal rose
4 from 3O7 TO 6l5 millions; iron, ore. from,
&c to So millions; petroleum, from IS to
8I2OhniIions; gold, from 70 TO o6 millions:
stone from 81 to IL millions; cement,
from 10 to SO millions; natural gas,
from "a to SO millions.
THE products of manufacture rose
from a value Of IL billions in 1900 to a
value of Is billions in 190b--the figures
for 1908 not being reported It would
seem that products OF manufacturers
have not increased 80 much as those
I of agriculture and mining
Manufactures imported in 1900 and
& in i 0s, were valued at the following
millions: Cotton, Al and IS; silg. 81
and 80, iron and steel. 20 and IS; pro
ducts of wool, l6 TO 10, raw cotton,
and IA
The exports of manufactured pro
ducts estimated i'll millions of dollars
were as follows in 1900 and 1905: Cot
ton in bulk, 242 and ass: products of
iron and steel, 122 and 1874; OF copper
and its manufactures. IS and 104; of the
products OF cotton, u and Is.
Coffee imported in 1900, 50 millions in
1905. SIS millions; tea II and Is millions.
Life Insurance policies in force ia
1900, nine billions; in 1908 II billions.
q The total capital of railroads in 1900
was IL billions: in 1908, 16 billions.
The public school expenditures in
1900 were .l5 millions; in 1905, ssl mil
lions.
These are the amazing totals, placing
our country at the head of the nations
in financial strength, OF course. the
wealth OF other nations has Increased
and the depreciation of rnoney-the rise
In prices--ilay show results somewhat
similar in other countries. We must
wait until The complete figures show
what the actual Pr potential as com
pared WITH the apparent Increase. has,
been before drawing conclusions.
------ ,--- ----------
IN MEXICO.