The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1916-06-24
EN[|G!HT SHED !.
ON FOREIGN TRADE
U. s. Statistics Give Knockout
Blow to Partisan Critics
On Tariff.
PROVE BOOMERANG TO
WILSON OPPONENTS
Vast Export Increase is Shown;
Imports Chiefly Crude
Articles.

Statistics just made public by the
United States department of COM
merce are regarded in Washington as
giving a complete knockout blow to
partisan Republican efforts to win
favor among business men on the
| tariff issue by pointing to the in
crease of imports under the Under
wood tariff law.
The figures shed new light upon
the present export and import trade.
AS they were collected by hundreds
of agents at the ports of entry of the
country, their accuracy is unim-
peachable.
tariff has helped the United States to
take the maximum advantage Of the
opportunities opened to American
commerce and industry by the Euro
pean war. This fact, it is believed,
will 90 far toward determining the
the course Of business men in the
coming campaign. Democrats say it.
sustains the contention that tariff
changes should not be made except
as circumstances may alter the exist
ing satisfactory situation and then
only upon the advice of a commits
sion Of experts, as proposed by Presi-
dent Wilson.
Raw Material Imports Increase.
The point made emphatically clear
is this: That the increase Of imports
Of raw materials-These being es-
sentfal to enable American manu-
facturers to meet the enormous de-
mand from abroad for manufactured
~goods-absorb twice over the total
increase of imports. This arises
through the markd decrese in i'm
ports of manufactured goods.
Imports and exports during the
nine months of the current fiscal
year ending March 81, last, are con-
trasted with imports, and exports
during the nine-month period from
July I to March 81, 1914, before the
European war began.
Big Baluee or Trade. -
: 'ThewT tncrezse.- OF imports is-@1 06,-z
262,s17g ara Of exports s$f,f1s, $780,
557, showing gain of sales OF United
States goods abroad exceeding. by
nearly one billion dollars the gain of
purchases of foreign articles. That,
however, is the least significant tact.
The gain Of imports Of crude ma
terials for use In American factories
is, by, reason of the decreased i'm
ports of manufacturers, nearly twice
as much as the increase of all i'm
ports. That is, the increase Of inn
ports Of crude materials amounts to
more than $193,500,O00, whereas the
gain Of all imports amounts to only
$106,2O0,OOO., Imports Of food stuffs
and food animals have decreased; i'm
ports of manufactures for further use
in manufacturing have decreased;
and the imports of manufactures
turned out by foreign labor and ready
for sale in the American market de-
creased $123.247,724.
This showing is certain to be borne
out even more startling contrast
when the complete figures for the
current fiscal year are in.
Confirmed by Export Figures.
The export figures afford ample
terials to be worked into finished
products by foreigners are way down,
whereas exports of foods and manu-
factures, especially completed manu-
factures, are way up.
Other figures giving more detail
are even more striking. In the first
nine months of the current fiscal
year, imports Of Egyptian cotton
amounted to .174,S60.O42 pounds
worth $2s,374,71s. In the COR
nine months Of. 1914, the
imports Of Egyptian cotton amounted
to only 62.326,244 pounds, worth
$10,734,564. Turning to exports of
cotton cloths, wearing apparel and
other cotton manufactures the rea-
son for the increase Of imports of
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