Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-02-04
TRADE WITH THE ORIENT.

Trade between the United States
and the orient in 1912 was the largest
ever recorded. This il true both as to
imports and exports. The imports
from Asia and Oceanica combined
were, according TO a compilation just
completed By the Statistical division
Of the bureau Of foreign and domestic
commerce. $3.50, 00O, 900 in 1912, against
$50, 100000 in 1892; and the exports
to Asia and Oceanica, $190, 900 900 in
1912, against 100000, 900 in 1902, a de-
cadc ago. Thus imports from the
orient, if we include all Of Asia and
all Of Oceanica under that general
title, show an increase of - per cent
in 10 years and exports thereto an
increase of 100 per cent in the same
period. Even the phenoninally large
exports of 1905, when the require
ments of northern Asia, due to the
Russo-Japanese war, brought our
exports to Asia and Oceanica up to
the unusual total Of $168,000 900, are
supposed by the total Of $196, 10O,00o
in 1912, the highest record Of eX-
ports to the orient which our foreign
trade has ever shown. The growth
over 1911 is about $4,000, 900 as to ex.
ports and about $50, O,000 as to i'm
ports.
One striking characteristic Of the
growth during 1912 in exports to Asia
lies in the fact that India and China
have followed the example set by
Japan some years og in the purchase
Of American cotton. Eoth India and
China are producers of raw cotton,
India ranking second in the worlds
cotton producing countries; yet the
exports of raw cotton from the United
States to British India in the celan.
dar year 1912 amounted to 35,000,00o
pounds valued at $S,l5O,C0O, and to
China, also a cotton.producing coun-
try, the exports Of raw cotton in 1912
were IA, 0o0,OG0 pounds, valued at
S~l,50o,000. This movement of cotton
fro the United States to India and
China is a quite recent development
in our trade with that part Of the
world, the cotton exports to either Of
these countries having been Dracti-
cally nothing prior to 1911.
Japan is a large importer of cotton
from the United States, but the fig
ures of 1912 far exceed those Of any
earlier year, Jul W trade figures
showing exports of cotton to Japan
in the calendar year 1912 amounting
to 2O9, 100000 pounds, against 142,-
C20,C00 in 1911, the high record cal
endar year in cotton movements to
that country. The total exports from
the United States to Japan in 1912
were '$5S, $1,000 in value. against $44,.
VUU.O0O IN I'LL.
The increase in II exports to- the
orient occurs chiefly in the trade with
Japan, the Philippine islands and In
dia. TO China there was a slight re.
duction in exports during the calen-
dar year, due to, a decline in the guam
tity of Illuminating oil and cotton
COOS exported to that country IN the
latter part of 1922, compared with
the corresponding periou Of 1911. To
Japan the increases of $14, 900, 900 in
exports chiefly occurred, as above in.
dictated, in raw cotton. though flour
also shows an increase Of about
$500, 900. 70 the Philippine islands
there was a marked increase in *.
ports, the total in 1912 being $685.
100000 in value, against $4,000, 900 in
1908, the year prior to the enactment
of the law which provides for free
interchange Of merchandise between
those islands and the United States.
Both exports, to. and imports from,
the Philippine islands have a little
more than doubled during the period
in question, imports from the islands
in 1912 amounting to S22,C 100000,
against a little more than $9,O0O,0G0
in 1908, and exports thereto. as above
indicated. $25, 100000 in 1912, against
practically $4,000. GOO in 1908.
The most striking increase in ex.
ports to the Philippines occurs in cot
ton cloths, for which the Philippine
islands are now our largest customer,
the quantity exported thereto in the
calendar year 1912 being $4,000, 900
yards against 70,0O0,9 900 yards to
China, formerly the largest purchaser
of American cottons; $4,000, 900 to
Central America. $4,000, 900 to Alden,
80, 0 900 to Cuba and 2S,Oe0, 900 yards
alomDia.
The exports to India show a marked
increase, amounting to over $4,000.
900 in 1912, 11,750,0O0 in 1911 and g..
5OOO01S in 1906. the Increase renre.