The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-01-17

The growing dependence OF the United
States upon the tropical and subtropicaI
world for its food and manufacturers
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 SO million
dollars worth Of products Of tropical
and subtr0picaI countries come into the
United States annually. against practi-
eaIIy 30 million dollars worth in 1919, and
practically 500 million dollars worth in
1895
The report enumeraSes certain tropical
and subtrepicaI products brought into the
country 10 the value Of 5ls million dollars
in 1908 and ISL millions IN 1896. but does
not include The imported articles manu-
featured from tropical products and GER
tain other groups OF articles. Of which
a part are brought from the tropics and
q part from temperate zone countries. II
70 the imported tropical products. dis
tinctly enumerated as such. is added
those imported articles manufactured
from tropical products and a proper
EllllE u Tic ULaAEA u l+tAE1 NN-AAA-A@ ia
part from tropical countries. the grand
total would approximate 600 million dol
lars. or practically two million dollars for
every business day Of the year, and form
practically one-haIf Of the total imports
into the country.
Products Bought in Tropics.
Sugar. coffee, tea, cocoa. fruits and
nuts. rice. sage. tapioca, spices. tobacco.
india rubber silk. cotton, hemp. jute.
sisaI, cabinet woods, cams. cork. dye
woods. and numerous other articles OF
this character form the SIS million dol
lars worth Of tropical and subtropieal
products brought into continental United
States in 1905 and the 567 million dollars
worth brought IN 1901
The falling of in tropical and subtropi-
cal products imported in 1893 occurs chief
II IL india rubber, six, cotton. jute,
hemp, and sisaI. a part Of this reduction
being due 10 lower prices and a part 70
the partial suspension Of activities IN the
manufacturing industries by which they
are consumed In practically ali these
imports. however. the closing months OF
the calendar. year 1908 show q marked in
crease. and II IS probable that the record
Of 1909 viii bring the total Of tropical and
subtropicaI imports again IN the vicinity
OF the -million-dOIlaT line.
IN the above statement of tropical and
subtropicaI articles imported no mention
is made Of the . million dollars worth
o. jute buTlaps imported chiefly from In
Ola. the 81 million dollars worth Of goat
skins brought from India the 81 million
dollars worth Of gO9tSkinS brought from
Latin America 10 say nothing OF the 90
20 80 million dollars worth Of imported
tin. copper. iron. lead. and other minerals
originating IN the tropical countries but
not Cassed as tropical products.
Countries Which Contribute.
South America, Central America. Mexi-
CO. Cuba, and the other west Indian ISL
ands, the Hawaiian Islands. the Philip
pines. the Dutch East Indies and Straits
Settlements, India, and Southeastern asia
are the chief contributors IN this large
supply Of tropical and subtropical articles
imported. CT the I3 million dollars
worth Of cane sugar brought into CONT
mental United States IN the fiscal year
1905. Cuba contributed IS million dollars
worth. Porto Rico 70 million dollars
worth, the Hawaiian Islands 40 million
QNlAaAS WI ana tie DALIA L-4e- III
dies Il million dollars worth.
OF the s. million dollars worth Of COT
fee brought in in the fiscal year 1908,
Brazil contributed IS million dollars
worth, other South American countries 6
millions, Central America ~ millions.
Mexico s 1-3 millions. and the East Indies
a little over I million dollars worth OF
the a million dollars worth OF cocoa i'm
ported in 1919 ~ millions came from
the British West Indies, . millions from
other West Indies. practically 8 millions
from Brazil. and 2iz millions from ether
South American states
OF the % million dollars worth Of to-
baCCO Including in this term the manu-
featured as well as unmanUfaCtured arti-
cles) brought into continental United
States IN 1905. 3 million dollars worth
came from Cuba IN the crude state and
million dollars worth n the rnanufac-
tured form million dollars worth from
the Netherlands in the form OF wrappers
for cigars. 81 millions from Porto Rico
in the form Of cigars, and II million dol
lars worth from that island in the IN
manufactured form. OF the 49, miIlien
dollars worth OF cotton imported in 1893
121s million dollars worth came from
Egypt
Bananas Worth 81, 100000.
Of the 81 million dollars worth Of fruits
and nuts. IL million dollars consisted Of
bananas, OF which practically s millions
came from Central America and nearly 1
millions came from the British West IN
dies. while the 1-3 million dollars worth
Of lemons came chiefly from Italy. OF the
951A million dollars worth OF india rub
Der imported in 1905. e million dollars
worth came from Brazil, nearly I mil
lion dollars worth from Mexico while
about 10 million dollars worth, which is
credited 10 Europe. was chiefly. the prod
uct Of Africa, with smaller quantities
from the British possessions in India,
Ceylon. and the Malayan Peninsula.
OF the Is million dollars worth OF tea
imported in 19lS Japan contributed about
China about one-fourth, while
the remainder came chiefly from India
and Ceylon. a part Of It direct from these
countries and part Of II by way Of the
United Kingdom. Of the S. million dol
lars worth Of raw silk. usually cOnsid-
cred as at least a sUbtrOpical product. 20
million dollars worth came from Japan. (
Is million dollars worth from Italy. 81
million dollars worth from China. and
II million dollars worth from France.
OF the Il million dollars worth Of goat
skins imported in 1903 though not usll-
ally classed as a tropical importation. 81
million dollars worth came from the
East Indies. practically million dollars I
worth from Mexico. nearly . million dol I
lars worth from Brazil. / million dollars /
worth from other South American coun- i
tries, and a half million dollars worth 4
from Oceania and Africa
Exports Remain Small.
Most Of this large and growing SUNNY 4
of tropical and subtropical material comes /
from sections 70 which. al present. our 1
exports are comparatively small. Brazil /
md Cuba supply a larger share Of these
tropical products than any other two 4
Countries From Brazil our imports are /
practically I've times as great as or