New-York tribune., 1911-02-17
TRADE BUREAU ACCUSED
Issue of Misleading Export Sta.
tistics Charged.
DENIAL MADE BY CHIEF
Possible Use of Panama Canal by
Japan Discussed at Pan
American Conference.

Washington, Feb. 16.-Charges We're made
at the Pan-American Commercial Confer
epce to-day that the Bureau of Statistics
of the Department of Commerce and Labor
was issuing misleading figures on the ex-
port trade OF the United States. The
charges were made by Francis ]. Lowe, OF
New YORK..
Mr.. Lowe representing a number OF ex-
port merchants of New York, Immediately
following a speech by o. P. Austin. chief
Of the Bureau OF Statistics, announced that
the exporters Of New York wanted to know
whether the bureau was still issuing mis-
leading statistics. He then read an affi-
davit made in 1907 by Charles S. Price, for
three years confidential clerk Of the bureau
stating that while employed in the bureau
instructions were issued in regard TO the
exports OF manufactures which would tend
y mislr ad tho manufacturers Of the United
States and that the proof could be shown
by referring 10 Schedule r of the bureau, in
which raw materials are described as who'll
ly or partly manufactured. and which
made q tremendous difference In the de-
clared exports Of manufactures wholly"
Mr. Lowe said export merchants wanted
to know where ell tn, exports noted by the
Bureau Of statistics were going. Steam
ship companies, he added, were withdraw
ing vessels from their service and the issu-
ing Of charters 10 ships had fallen off con-
siderably.
Mr. Austin denied the charges. asserting
that the full summaries of the bureau gave
accurate and detailed information. Later
in the day ne gave out the following state
meut:
The statement that raw materials are
described as articles wholly or partly
manufactured in the official statements OF
this bureau Is false. Our classification OF
exports includes two groups. one entitled
manufactures for further use in manu-
featuring, the other manufactures ready
for consumption 4 list OF all articles in
cluded in each OF these groups is printed
In The opening pages Of each issue OF the
finance, and in each Issue OF the annual
volume, Commerce and Navigation OF the
United States IN order that the public
may have every facility for knowing the
articles forming these respective groups
The one specifically named in this state
ment, group L, includes only manutact-
UfeS fed0y tOT cons QfnptlOn.
Mt Austin also said that "the only
truthful assertion in Mr.. Prices statement
was that he had been a confidential clerk
tn the bureau, a place from which. he
added. he was discharged for cause.
American ingenuity and effort should be
concentrated TO prevent the commerce Of
the United States from being carried under
the japanese fag through the Panama
Canal, in tho opinion OF James ". Porch
who addressed the conference on behalf
Of commercial organizations Of New Or
leans. He referred to the project Of the
Japanese to build vessels 20 transport
goods directly from the Atlantic Coast Of
the United States 10 the orient and from
the Pacific Coast OF this country 10 Europe
and South America. He declared that the
charge that Americans could not build
steamships as cheaply as foreign countries
was not true.
Charles NJ. Pepper, OF the State Depart
ment. who represented the United States IN
the Canadian reciprocity negotiations, spoke
briefly of the advantage OF the Panama
Canal 10 the merchants 90 the United
States
Julius G. Lay United States Consul Cen
eral at Rio de Janeiro. told OF railroad
development IN Brazil and the commercial
progress of the country.
Senor Yoacham, charge dafaires OF
Chill, discussed the possibilities for Amer
ican merchants in Chill ami the advance
ment made in recent years in commercial
intercourse with the United states.