The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1918-05-31
The World of Finance
WORLD WIDE ADVANCE IN PRICES

which accompanied the war. From
ths peaceful banana plantations of
Central America, the rice fields of the
Orient, the sheep ranges of Austria
Tia. the silk worm establishments OF
Japan, the sugar plantations of
Cuba, the tin mines of the Malayan
Peninsula, the olive fields of Spain,
The vine ranges of China and the
bean plantations of South America
and Manchuria, the advance in prices
has been general, and in nearly all
Important articles of commerce. A
compilation py the National City
Bank of New York shows that the
|orices of the merchandise being ex-
ported from all parts of the world
have increased in most cases from 50
b. 100 per cent above those prevail
Ing before the war, and are mater1-
billy higher than those of one year
ago.
The prices named by the United
States government of the merchan-
1ise entering the ports of the United
states are, by law, those at which the
merchandise is sold in the country of
production or expectation to the
United States. 1t is practicable
hereforfby comparing the official inn
port prices of the merchandise enter
ng the United States in 1918 with
hose of the same articles at earlier
periods to determine whether the ar
icles in question have advanced in
price in the countries from which ex-
ported. And when it is remembered
hat most of the articles imported are
Drawn from several different coun-
ries it becomes apparent that a com
parison of the average import price
bf q given article at various periods
Indicates the general advance or de-
elfne not alone in a single country
but in all the countries supplying the
merchandise entering our own ports.
Take the. humble banana as an ex-
ample, imported from the peaceful
countries of Central America, Cuba
Jamaica, British Honduras, Colom-
oia and the Dominican Republic; the
average price in the countries from
which exported to the United States
was in January, 1918, 46.6 cents per
bunch against Sc cents in January,
h917, and 31.3 cents per bunch in
january, 1914, an advance of about
80 per cent since the January pre-
teding the beginning of the war. The
pig growers of China have apparently
also heard the news of the world adj
vance in prices, since bristles, chiefly
imported from China, jumped in
price from SS.cerfts per pound in the
country of production in February
1914, to $1.96 in February, 1918, an
ncrease-os 123 per cent. Horse skins.
brought.-cfI1edy from Argentina, were
Exported from that country in Feb
ruary, 1914, at 1876 cents per pound,
and in February, 1918, at 81 cents per
pound, an increase of practically 10C
per cent. Edible olive oil, chiefly
from Spain and Italy, was imported
in February, 1914, at an average Of
$1.25 per gallon, and in February
1918, the average import price was
$3.05 per gallon. Rice flour from
Siam, Hongkong, Japan, China, and
other Oriental countries, was import
ed February, 1914, at an average o.
III cents per pound in February
1918, at 4 cents per pound. TIT
cotton growers of Egypt evidentt
realized the world advance in prices
for the average import price of tn,
cotton entering the United States
coming chiefly from Egypt, was il
February, 1914, but 1873 cents pc
pound and averaged in January an
February, 1918, S5 cents per pound
Raw silk, chiefly from Japan ant
China, averaged $3.50 per pound il
February, 1915, and $3.50 in the clos
ing months of 1917. Beans, import
ed largely from South America, Man
churia, India, Japan and China, ay
eraged in February, 1914, $1.66 pc
bushel and in February, 1918, $40
per bushel. Flax, imported normal
from Russia, Scotland and IRELAND
averaged in February, 1914, in tn
country from which exported, $26
per ton, and in February, 1911
S1,1S8 or more than four times
much in 1913 as in 1914. Sisal, an in
portant fiber, coming from our nea
neighbor, Mexico, was at the place {
expectation in 1914, Sis per to-
and at the same place in Februar.
1918, 1859 per ton. Even the inc
fensive "goober," from West Afric
and the Orient, seems to have avail
ened to the situation, for the averas
market price of peanuts coming {
the United States, chiefly from We;
Africa, China and Japan, is oficiall
quoted at A cents per pound in Eel
ruary, 1914, and sc per pound j
February, 1918.
In few articles very few, the1
is no advance, and in some an actu;
decline. Coffee, coming to us frol
30 different countries and colonies
the world, chiefly from Latin Anne
lea and the Orient showed an averas
market price in February, 1914,
11.2 cents per pound, and in Febrl
airy, 1918, an average price of but 8
cent. per pound. Cocoa, coming fro
a score of countries and colonies, a,
eraged in February, 1914, III cen
per pound, and in February, 191
1913 cents per pound. Even Ind
rubber, in which the world outp
has more than kept pace with Il
greatly increased. world deman
shows slight decline, the ,averat
market price having been in Febr-
airy, 1914, 52.2 cents per pound, al
in February 1918, AIS cents p
pound.
Some ono wants to know what h
become OF the girl students that fc
merly aspired to be known as t