Arizona republican., 1911-01-09
OLD YEAR
GOOD ONE
i Use Of LuyUrieS Is Anu
indication
WHAT THE IMPORTS SHOW
More Diamonds, Liquors,
Laces, Furs, Automobiles
and Foreign Bric-a- Brac
Were Brought Into This
Country Than Before.

Washington. Jan. S-That the wear
1910 must have been reasonably
prosperous one in the United States is
indicated by the figures of in, ports-
! ton of the class of articles usually
termed "luxuries". No more salts
factory barometer of general business
conditions is found than the figures
representing the Importation of ar
ticles purely or chiefly Injuries. in
Guiding diamonds and other precious
stones. laces. art work, wines. to-
bacco and manufactures thereof. and
other articles of this character. This
is illustrated by a glance at the yearly
record of imports. In years of marked
depression. 1894 and 1895, for ex-
ample, the value of diamonds and
other precious stones imported drop
ped-from 10 million dollars in 1898
to 81 million in 1894. ~ million in
1895. and about so million in 1896:
gradually moving upward again until
1889 and 1900 and reaching a total
of 30 million in 1908 and AZ million in
1897 In the fiscal year 1908. a year
of business depression. the total fell
TO 10 million dollars returning to
20 million in 1909 and as million i'm the
fiscal year 1919. while the figures Of
the calendar year will not materially
differ from those of the fiscal year.
The figures of diamond importations
above cited are merely an example
of the evidences of prosperity sup
piled by the figures of imports. In
automobiles. art works. laces. feathers.
furs. wines and liquors, tobacco. de-
corated chinaware. and numerous
other articles named in the list of
importations. the figures of 1910 are
large. and the Importation of articles
usually classed as ''luxuries" will show
a total of between 200 and 500 million
dollars value. OF laces and en-
broideries alone the value imported
during the year Just ended approx
mated As million dollars, a very large
proportion of which was of cotton.
This class of importations also shows
considerable fluctuations according to
conditions of prosperity or otherwise.
though the fluctuations are not as
great as in the case of diamonds. The
value of cotton laces, embroideries.
etc. imported i'm the fiscal year 1898
was l2A million dollars and dropped
IN 1894 To million dollars. Again
in the 1S907-S period of depression.
he YAH ~ e ~.
dropped from 39% million dollars in
the fiscal year 1907 to 33% million in
1908. returning to 341-3 million in
1903 and 36% million in 1910.
Among the other articles of impor-
tation in 1910 which are usually
classed as luxuries are Silk Iaces.
AZ million dollars; laces of flax and
other similar fibers. q million: tobacco
cigars. etc. S3 million: furs and fur
skins. % million; art works. 81 mil
lion; spirits. wines and liquors. 90
feathers and flowers. natural
and artificial. IL million: toys. mil
lion: mahogany. 3Ia million: jewelry.
: million; manufactures of gold and
silver. 2 million; and beads and orna-
ments. perfumeries cosmetics. shells,
orchids. pipes and smokers articles.
and musical instruments in various
sums between l million and million
dollars each.
The principal sources from which
these luxuries are drawn are. in the
case of manufactures. Europe; in the
case of tobacco. mahogany and other
articles of this GLASS; the tropical
sections: while the 25 million dollars
worth of furs and fur skins originate
largely. of course. in the frigid or
sections of the world.
Most of the imported laces. whether of
flax or silk, are made in
Switzerland. France. Germany. Bel
GUM. England and Ireland: most of
the tobacco and cigars come from
Cuba: most of the art works. from
various European countries. and most
Of the toys. from Germany