Evening journal., 1916-10-18
ADMINISTRATION CONTRApICTs FORMER CLAIMS

ADMINISTRATION CONTRADICTS FORMER CLAIMS
n HREE times in the past week the Department OF
= Commerce has given out statistics that contradict
the claims this administration has been making re-
gardng business conditions before and since the
began. Some of these statistics have been long de-
layed in publication, but they at a time when
they Will be most disastrous to the political interests
of the administration that has made them public
II has long been the contention Of the Democratic
leaders that this country prosperous before the
outbreak of the Statistics given out regarding
the operation Of blast furnaces in 1914 do not support
that contention. Il is very generally recognized that
the activity OF the iron and steel industry is very
good barometer Of business conditions. The table Of
statistics given out regarding blast furnaces shows
that in 1909 there 3S429 wage earners engaged
in the operation Of blast furnaces while in 1914 the
number had fallen to 1885, decrease Of 1876 per
cont although the population Of the United States in
the meantime had increased 81 per cent. Since the
of iron and steel is normally increasing at faster
rate than population there should have been an
increase in the operation Of blast furnaces OF far
more than per cent. but there a actual de-
crease stated Of more than 20 per cent, and a
decrease Of 25 per cent in the value added to the
material by manufacture These figures demonstrate
the dulness of Industrial conditions prior to the out
break of in Europe
Another very interesting statement just issued by
the Department of Commerce relates to the manufac
of explosives From 1909 TO 1914 the number OF
in the production Of explosives increased
only onehalf of per cent although the population
Of the country increased than 81 per cent The
value added to the materials by manufacture de
creased nearly per cent showing that in 1914 prior
to the outbreak of the in Europe, there a
great depression the business OF manufacturing ex-
plosves. This is doubtless due to several circum-
stances. First owing to the Industrial depression
there was very slight of blasting powder for
cavaton for removing stumps. and for similar pur-
poses in the development Of the country. Second be-
cause of the dull times sportsmen did not purchase
cartridges freely they do in prosperous times.
The very rapid development in the production OF ex-
posves Immediately following the outbreak OF the
war is a matter of such knowledge that every
man. woman and child in the United States is IA
mliar with it,
Together with these statistics showing industrial
preston in 1914. there has been issued a statement
showing that the exports from the United States for
the month Of August 1916, amounted to $51OOOO.OOO
the most exported by this any other country
in month The total exports for twelve months
ended with August amounted to s475O,OO0OOO which
also record-breaRing amount of exports
Taking all these statistics. together showing de-
preston prior 10 the beginning OF the war, and the
record-breakng foreign trade during the war, leaves
other possible conclusion than that the war to
be credited with whatever prosperity are en-
ioyng. and that when the is we shall con-
front economic conditions similar 10 those in 1914
when foreign producers had free access to our
kets.