Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-07-13
Character Of Foreign Trade of the
United States Changes Com
pIeteIy in Decade.
SOIL PRODUCTS OUTSTRIPPED
Great Britain, Germany, America
and France Lead World in
the Order Named.

Secretary Of Commerce Redheld has
been growing more enthusiastic each
day over the improved showing made
by American industries In the com
petition OF the world. Recent figures
furnished him by some Of the bureaus
Of his department present striking
picture OF the great Industrial growth
Of this country since 1900. and he is
even more than ever a firm believer
In the persistency OF this develop
ment.
It is not merely that the sales OF
American produce to foreign coun-
tries have increased by tremendous
strides In the last decade and half.
The more important fact is that there
has been a revolution in the charac-
ter OF the foreign trade.
Instead of the bulk Of our exports
being foodstuffs. as 1t was but a few
years ago by far the greater share Is
now made up OF manufactures. In
commerce. products Of mechanical in
dustry have outstripped the products
OF the soil Moreover. they are sue
cessfully invading the very home OF
foreign manufactures
The sales OF American manufac-
lures in Europe reached the very re-
spectacle total OF 32,52s,OOO In 1912,
exclusive Of foodstuffs wholly OF part
ly manufactured, which might right
fully be included in the count This
was an increase from S225,7lI0O0 In
1904 or growth Of about 90 per
cent in eight years.
Has Three Rivals.
There are only three countries in
the world that are 10 be classed with
the United States I'm a consideration
OF their manufactures. These art
Great Britain and Germany. which
surpass this country In the amount Of
business done, and France which fol-
lows the United States. The relative
position of these four nations as ex-
porters of manufactures has not
changed since 1900. Great Britain
leads. with Germany second, but In
that period the United States has
gained more than any Of the others
and Great Britain least, the percent
age OF increase being United States,
ITO; Germany. 81; France, II, and
Great Britain, SO.
Another fifteen years OF such de-
velopment Of home industries as has
been brought about since 1900 Will
see a change In the relative positions
of these four great exporters OF man
ufactures. with the United States
climbing toward the head OF the list.
But while American manufacturer
have been selling in rapidly increas-
ing quantities in the great Industrial
countries of Europe they have not
neglected their opportunities else
where The National City Bank,
which has large interests In South
America. points out that the sale OF
American manufactures in the coun-
tries below the Gulf rose from S3i,-
500 600 in 1904 TO $il5.413,00O In 1912
The increase In North America eN
ceeded that in Europe.
The sales In 1904 were Sll4s65. 1863
In the eight years TO 1912 they grew
to 1925. 679.924, an increase Of little
more than 1873 per cent. In Asia. In
the same period, the sales Of Ameri-
can manufacturers nearly doubled
and In Oceania which includes Aus
tralia. Tasmania and New Zealand
they more than doubled.
Food Exports Drop.
In sharp contrast 10 this uniform
and substantial growth of the sales
Of manufactures are the figures for
the exports OF crude foodstuffs and OF
foodstuffs wholly or partly manufaC-
tured. Fifteen years ago, in 1898. the
first year that our total exports eN-
Ceeded a billion dollars In value. crude
foodstuffs and food animals consti-
tuted more than % per cent of them
and foodstufts wholly or partly pre-