Omaha daily bee., 1914-03-22
EXPORTS MAKE BIG GROWTH
Increase for Last Ten Years Greater
Than Preceding Thirty.
BILLION DOLLARS IN DECADE
Raw Cotton a. Greatest Export
with Iron and steel second
Breadstuffs Third and
Meat FOurth.

WASHINGTON. March 2L-EXports OF
merchandise from the United states MADE
a greater advance during the last ten
Years than in the thirty years from 1919
10 1908. In 1873 the total exports were
valued at 1855, 10000: In 1903, N,4S5OOO'0eO
and In 1918. 2,4s4.OO0.OO0 a gain Of tslh0OO,-
600 in the thirty years from 1873 TO 1908
and OF approximately H,0J000O,OOo In the
ten years ended with December last
To this gain Of practically S,oOO,0O0OOO
in foreign sales Of American products
during the decade ended with December,
raw cotton and miscellaneous manufac-
lures. chiefly Of iron and steel, copper.
wood and mineral oil, were the largest
contributors. the five classes named rep
resenting about one-half or the total in
crease during the period named.
The ten leading classes OF articles ex-
ported from the United States In 1918, ar
ranged i'm order OF magnitude and stated
IN millions Of dollars are reported by the
bureau OF foreign and domestic COM
merce. Department OF Commerce, as fol-
lows Raw cotton, 575. iron and steel.
29i; breadstuffs, 2O3; meat and dairy
products, 16l; mineral oils, l49 copper, ii5;
wood manufactures. no. coal and coke.
II; leather and leather goods, 60; and
tobacco, raw and manufactured. CO. When
60 this group are added cars and car
riages, s.; cotton goods. IS; agricultural
implements and machinery. 95; fruits and
nuts, "a; electrical machinery and APP
pliances. 2S; chemicals, drugs and medi-
cines. "a; naval stores %; vegetable oils.
a; paper and manufactures thereof, 81;
india rubber manufactures, II. and fer
tslizers. y. about 20 per cent OF the ag-
gresate expectation Of the year has been
accounted for
Cotton IL King.
Raw cotton easily maintained its lead
ing position In the list OF American ex-
ports. on the other hand breadstuffs
fell from second position in 1903 to third
In 1918. and meat and dairy products, from
third position TO fourth each of these
groups having been passed meantime by
iron and steel. which advanced from
fourth to second place during the de-
cade.
Comparing the figures OF 1918 with those
OF 1908. raw cotton exports gained $780,.
OO0.Oo0. or 81 per cent. this being a natura
result OF the worlds increasing consump
ton Of cotton goods for the manufactur,
OF which the United States supplies ovei
two-thirds OF the raw material. Iron ant
steel manufactures gained sl95. 900. 600, o
about go per cent mach merry and enginei
being the largest factors Mineral oil
made an advance OF 3I6O0O,0O0. or over 10
per cent. copper manufactures, $i0l 900. 900
or 200 per cent. and wood and manufacture
thereof. s52.OO00O0. or about 20 per cent
Breadstuffs barely held their own II
valuesof exports during the decade, witt
gain OF s5.OOOOOo. and but for the mnrke
advance in barley oats and rice wou
have actually declined. since the export
OF corn fell from s5,OOOO09 to E0O.ON
and those oe wheat from iGo.OO0OOO I
i5s.o0)oo0 bushels during the decade. Mea
and dairy products fell in value OF eS
ports from $lsi.ooOOOO to sls1. .OoO, 900 durin
the period under review. and cattle frol
f3S,ooo0o0 70 sl,O00000. There was no cor
responding decrease in production
breadstuffs and food animals. and th
smaller expectations are therefore du,
In large measure. 20 the increasing pre-
port on OF the population engaged In mar
ufacture, transportation and the nor
productive industries, thus leaving
smaller proportion available for agrlcu
tural pursuits.
Increased exports are common to a
branches OF American manufactures. on
OF the largest gains occurred In cars an
carriages, which qulntupled during n
decade, chiefly due to the rapid develol
ment OF the automobile industry durln
the last ten years Electrical machiner
trebled. cotton goods doubled, leather ar
manufactures thereof practically double
and agricultural implements, paper mani
features and naval stores each increase
about 90 per cent India rubber manufa
lures are two and half times as grel
as In 1908; fruits and nuts. about 70 d,
cent more than decade ago, and pro
rietary medicines are being exported
constantly increasing quantities
Europe Is the primary destination
about three-fifths OF our total expor,
The total 70 that grand division IN Is
was $500 900. and 10 all other mar
of the world about $1,000. 100000. To Nor
America the exports aggregated s6Oi, 900. O
of which two-thlrds went TO Canada;
South America, sif7OO0.OOO chiefly 10 A
gentina and Brazil; TO Asia. Si26. 1000. 600
which one-half went to Japan and on
fifth 20 China to oceania, SSg 600 o
chiefly 20 Australia and the Philippln,
ami to Africa. s29.oOooOo