Arizona republican., 1909-05-24
THE RETURN OF LUXUR|ES
After the Period of Depres- sion and the Greater De- mand For Manufacturers Materials are Responsible For Improved Trade.

Washington, May 2S.-Imports into the United States from France show an increase of 60 per cent in the months of February and March, while those from all Europe and from all the world during that time show in each case a gain of but about 45 per cent. The total value of imports from France in February, 1909, as shown by the records of the bureau of statistics, of the department of commerce and labor was 10 million dollars, against 6% millions in Febru- ary of the preceding year; and in March. 1909, II 1-3 millions, against 6Ia millions in March of the preced- ing year.
 This large increase in the importa- tions from France is due in part to increased requirements for manufac- turers' materials, in part to increased purchases of luxuries by theApeople of the United States, and probably in some cases to anticipated increases in rates of duty on certain classes of articles coming from that country, especially luXuries.
 Of the imports into the United States lIOlIl Id1lLts ct EA AeAA s'AAeA- V k composed of articles usually class ed as luxuries. Of diamonds, for in stance, the imports from France in March. 1909, amounted to $591, IT, against s51, 1,224 in March of last year, being thus more than ten times as great in value in March, 1909, as in March, 1908; of other precious stones, S4S1.943, against S9S,424 in March of last year; of cotton laces, edgings, embroideries, etc, S1,O54,293, against S605.7l in March, 1908; of silk man. ufactures, the total value imported from France in March of the present year was S1,9O7, ,497, against $1,173, ,1S3 in the corresponding month in 1908; of champagne, s3S7,S92, against $2O3,- 523 in March of last year; gloves (of kid or other leather) S333,3S6 against s27S.g14 in the same month of last year: goat skins. $104,006, against sS4,360 in March, 1908; olive oil, s14O.657, against SS4,1O6 in March, 1908.
 Trade of the United States with France shows a steady growth both on the import and export sides. Our own figures of that trade show larger exports to France in 1908 than in any earlier year, and larger imports from France than in any earlier year ex- cept 1906 and 1907 The total value of domestic merchandise exported from the United States to France in the fiscal year 1908 was 114 million dollars, against III million dollars in 1907: while in no earlier year had the value of domestic exports to that country crossed the 100 million dollar line On the import side the total never crossed the 100 million dollar line until 1906, when the i'm ports from France amounted to 10S million dollars; 1907, 12S millions and 1908. 102 millions.
 While the trade between France and the United States has not grown with as great rapidity as is the case with certain other countries, there has been a steady upward trend, the fig ures of both imports and exports as already indicated, now exceeding 100 million dollars, thus being about double those of twenty years earlier That the growth in exports to that country has not been as great as to other countries is quite apparent from the figures of the bureau of