The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-11-20
NEWERADAWNSON
vIR GINIA I RADE
Transition in Position of
This County as Ex-
porting Nation.
RICHMOND SEES
A BIG NEW FIELD
Trade Pendulum Swings from
I Europe to Latin America.
New Markets Developing for
Richmond Manufacturers
Products-Transporta-
ton Facilities.

Washington. November 1s.-In ar
unpretentious office building on
Street. one OF the many Washington
buildings OF which Uncle sam Is the
lessee. is series OF rooms filled with
statistical charts. maps and tables OF
figures. on them are spread In graphic
form the story OF the worlds com
merce. Like the delicate seismograpf
that registers earthquake shocks In
every part Of the world, the changing
currents OF trade running from Amer.
lean ports to all corners of the globe
are recorded here. Every swing oil
the pendulum of international barter
tells story that is quickly interpreted
by the experts In charge. The Offices
are occupied by the Bureau OF Sta
tisticB of the Department OF Commerce
and Labor. and one Of Its chief duties
Is to compile the history of the foreign
commerce OF the United States as it
appears from day to day in the entries
OF goods from foreign countries and
shipments to these countries. To in
terpret correctly the influences that
affect the ebb and flow of trade cur
rents to and from the United States
and its possessions 1t Is necessary to
observe the direction and force Of
these currents between foreign ma
tons. and consequently the commerce
of all countries comes within the pur-
View OF the observers in this coming
tower of world trade.
What the Figures Say.
AS the months OF 1910 have sue
ceeded one another the figures that
have been assembled here by the sta
tistical experts of the department have
told story of unusual interest and
EiUnffica rCha,y -
closing of one era in the commercial
development of the country and tho
opening OF new era. Down TO the
present year the United states has
belonged commercially to the group OF
nations that supply an excess OF crude
products for the international market
and purchase finished materials. BY
the end OF 1910 1t Will have taken ii
place among the great manufacturing
the greater part of its
export trade in products partially or
tully prepared for consumption by the
processes OF factory or mill. In other
words. during the present year. for
the first time In the history of the
country. more than half the exports
OF the United States will consist of
manufactured products. Something
over sso0.0oo,oO0 worth of manu-
features exported to foreign countries
In 1910 Is the estimate which the
bureau OF Statistics makes. and this
estimate Is based on the figures for
the first nine months Of the year,
which show s613.o0o.000 of manu-
factured products sent abroad up to
september 80. Even II there should be
a slight falling of in the average for
the final quarter of the year the $780,
100000 mark would still be reached for
me hrst time in the history of the
country.
Wonderful Transformation.
such a change as this. of course,
comes about gradually. and is not the
achievement Of q single season. For
several years the percentage OF manu-
iactures In our exports has been in
creasing, and the proportion OF crude !
products has been declining, until this |
year for the first time finds the former
IN excess OF the latter. Taking similar |
periods of several years for the pur-
pose OF comparison we find that in 1908 |
formed A per cent. of
the total exports during the first |
eight months. foodstuffs formed 20 per |
cent. and crude materials for manu-
lacture formed % per cent. In 1903 /
me figures were: Manufactures, As per |
cent; crude materials. &c per cent, and I
loodstuffs. % per cent. In 1910 manu-
actures advanced to SO per cent. crude |
materials remained constant at &c per
cent, and food products fell off to 90 4
per cent. Thus there Is constant I
md rapid growth in the proportion OF |
manufactures among our exports at
me expense of food products, which [
composed by far tie greater
part of our supplies to other nations.
Along with the transformation, of
AMERICA from food-exporting to a
nation have gone other
striking changes In our export trade.
n order to carry on trade with other
latlons we must offer them such ar
lcles as they cannot produce in uuan-
tiles sufficient for their own needs,
aklng In exchange articles of which
We consume more than we produce. (
Yhen Americas food crops were every
'ear vastly In excess Of home demands
'ur best market naturally was found /,
.mong the food-hungry workers Of
Western Europe engaged In manufac-
uring pursuits. The United States Is i
70 longer the granary of the world /,
IS consuming power has been multi-
Tying Tar more rapidly than Its food
reducing power for many years past.
is population has been concentrating
cities. and larger and larger pro-
- -ASNN - .S'0 PSPu1GtIOIlf}u dS tDcCOIn0.i
occupied in manufacturing and mer-
Manufactures Going Abroad.
AS the surplus products which we
ave to sell to the outside world now
.onsist chiefly of manufactures rather
nan Of raw foodstuffs, 1t follows that
lew markets must be found in which
Q dispose Of this surplus Except in
nose special lines In which they pos
ess some decided advantage, Amer Il
cans cannot hope to manufacture ex- +
enslyely for Europeans, western Eu- 4
one is in that line of business her.
eli, and was: in. it long before the
lnlted1 States began to supply her own
ecal market The great expansion In q
he sale Of American goods must be
Continued on. Third Page,) 4
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