The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1911-11-02
Advance in Prices in Foreign
Countries.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Oct. 80, 1911.
That prices have advanced in other parts
of the world as we'll as in the United
States is evidenced by statement pre-.
pared by the Bureau of Statistics, De.
partment of Commerce and Labor, com.
pairing import prices at the present time
with those of certain earlier years. The
import figures of the United States gov
eminent represent, under existing Law
and regulations, the prices Of the arti
cles in question in the wholesale markets
of the country from which imported, anc
comparison, therefore, of the average
import prices of the principal articles
imported at the present time compared
with those of corresponding periods in
earlier years indicates, in some degree
at least, the fluctuation in prices in the
countries from which these articles are
imported.
This comparison of prices is rendered
practicable by reason of the fact that
the Bureau of Statistics publishes in its
Summary of Commerce and Finance a
table showing the monthly average i'm
port prices of the principal articles
brought into the country, and states at
the head of the table that "The value of
the goods represents their value in the
foreign markets." These statements of
average import prices are obtained by
comparing quantity with value for the
period in question, or in other words, by
dividing the stated quantity of the arti-
Gle under consideration into the stated
value thereof and thus determining the
import value per unit of quantity. This
table shows, for example, the average
price of coffee imported in August, 1911,
as 11.8c per pound, against 6.4c per
pound in August, 1901, a decade ago;
india rubber, an average of 83.4c per
pound in August, 1911, against 46. &c per
pound in August, 1901; clothing wool,
22.9c per pound in August, 1911, against
12c per pound in August, 1901; combing
wool, $3.50 per pound in August of the
present year, against 1880 in August
decade ago; flax, S439.65 per ton in Au-
gust, 1911, against s216.s2 in August,
1901; hemp, S210. 10 per ton in August of
the present year, against S165. 81 in Au-
gust, 1901; tin plates, 3.9c per pound in
August Of the current year, against Sc
In the corresponding month a decade
ago; tin in bars, blocks, ETC., 41.2c per
pound in August, 1911, against 26.5c
pound in August, 1901; and tea, 1929
pound in August of the current year,
against 1880 pound IN the correspond
ing month decade ago.
Even in the single twelve-month period
from August, 1910, to August, 1911, a
large number of articles show a marked
advance in prices. Coffee, for example,
which as already indicated, showed an
average of 11.8c per pound in August
1911, averaged 7.8c per pound in August,
1910; rice imports in August, 1911, aver
aged Sic per pound, against 2.4c per
pound in August a year earlier; cement,
in August, 1911, 38.Sc per hundred
pounds, against 2S.4c per hundred pounds
in August of last year; bananas, 20. Sc
per bunch in August of the present year,
against 27.6c per bunch in, August, 1910;
currants, 4.8c per pound in August, 1911,
against BIC per pound in August of last
year; figs, &c per pound in August,
1911, against SC per pound in August
year ago; almonds, IA SC per pound in
August of the present year, against 10. Sc
per pound in the corresponding month of
1910; calf skins, 29.2c per pound in Au-
gust, 1911, against 24.1c per pound in
August, 1910; tin plates, 3.9c per pound
in August of the current year, against Sc
per pound in August, 1910; olive oil, edi
BILE, Sl.44 per gallon in August 1911,
against S1.29 per gallon in August. 1910:
black pepper, &c per pound in August,
1911, against 7.3c per pound in August
a year ago; champagne, SIS 9 per dozen
quarts in August, 1911, against S14.64 in
August 1910; tin in bars, blocks, etc.,
&c per pound in August of the current
year, against 80. 1c in August of the pre-
vious year; leaf tobacco, suitable for
wrappers, SLIT per pound in August of
this year, against 95.4c per Id. in August
of last year; clothing wool, 22.9c per
pound in August, 1911, against p. &c per
pound in August 1910; combing wool,
80. &c per pound in August of the current
year, against 30c per pound in August a
year ago; and wool carpets and carpet
ing, $4.48 per square yard in August,
1911, against $3.47 in August, 1910.
This advance in prices, however, does
not extend to all articles. Nitrate of
soda is materially lower in price than a
year ago-$26.55 per ton, in August,
1911, against $34.75 per ton in August,
1910; guano, $12.42 per ton in August,
1911, against $25.79 in August of last
year. Cocoa is slightly less in average
import price, 22.2c per pound in August,
1911, against %. 7c per pound in August,
1910; also copper, 11.4c per pound in Au-
gust, 1911, against 12c, in August, 1910;
nj iron COZ 10 nov +op IN A,,o,,rt 1Q11