The Hawaiian gazette., 1911-01-13


classes fixed arbitrarily, and that it is
a direct tax not appOrtioned among the
States, as required by the constitution.
REVIEW OF FOREIGN COMMERCE.
The foreign commerce of the United
States in 1910 seems likely to exceed
that of any earlier year. For the eleven
months ending with November, the lat
est period for which figures have been
completed by the Bureau of Statistics,
Department of Commerce and Labor,
the grand total of imports and exports
is $3,063, 1884, 1854, against So ,047 1884,
045 in the corresponding months of
1907 the former high record year in
total trade.
This does not mean, however, that
both imports and exports will make
higher records in 1910 than ever before.
While the years imports will make
new high record, the exports will prob
ably be less than those of 1907, the
eleven months of 1910 showing a total
of $685., 261 Pei, against 81, 7l6,3O6,2O9
in 1907, the high record year in exports
The imports of 1910 viii easily surpass
those of any earlier year, the eleven
months figures being 81 ,426,5s7,733.
against 81 ,4S0 in 1909, the for
mer high record year in imports.
This fall in exports, combined with
the large increase in imports, makes the
excess of exports over imports, small,
being for the eleven months ending with
November last, but $210,673. 4SS,
against 1863 ISL ,615 in the same months
of 1908 and $421, 691 645 in 1906.
Should the December trade figures equal
those of November the full year s i'm
ports would approximate 1850 million
and the exports 1910 million dollars and
the excess of exports over imports 200
million dollars.
The large growth in importations
has occurred chiefly in manufacturers
materials, while the comparatively slow
growth in exports is die to a falling
off in the outward movement of food
stuffs. Crude materials for use in
manufacturing imported in 1900
amounted to 265 million dollars, while
those of 1910 will probably be about
$40 million, or double those of de
cade ago. Manufactures for further
use in manufacturing imported in 1906
were valued at lis million and in 1910
will approximate 275 million dollars
an increase of considerably more thar
100 per cent. Manufactures ready fol-
consumption imported in 1900 aggregat
ed 2l0 million and in 1910 will prob
ably be 375 million dollars, an increase
of about eighty per cent. Foodstuff!
imported in 1900 we're 232 million dol
lars and in 1910 will be Approximately
S4S million, an increase of about ffty
per cent.
The figures above quoted necessaril.
relate to values only and in the case o
increases can not in all cases be ac
cepted as an accurate measurement o
the relative movements in quantities
since in many cases prices in 1910 ar
materially higher than in 1900. o
cotton, for example, the average expor
price advanced from nine cents pc
pound in eleven months of 1900 t
fourteen and half cents in 1910; an
of indiarubber the average impor
price rose from sixty cents per poun
in 1900 to 81. 90 in 1910. On the othe
hand the reduction in quantities o
foodstuffs exported is even greater thal
that indicated by values, since expor
prices in 1910 are much higher than il
1900. Comparing the available detaile
figures of 1910 with those of 1909, i'm
ports of foodstuffs in ten months end
ing with October were 2s7 million dol
lars, against 27s million in 1909.