New-York tribune., 1918-01-27
lnterna| Commerce of the United States

profits OF various dealers who handle it
Nor does this total Of $4,000, 900 900
represent more than one sale of the
merchandise in question, the original
sale by which it passed from the hands
Of the producer to the markets of the
country. How many times it is handled
and resold before it reaches the con-
sumer and how much advance he paws
upon the price received by the producer
Is matter Of conjecture rather than Of
possible statistical measurement There
are no accepted standards. govern
mental or otherwise, by which we may
determine the average number Of time :
that the merchandise, is handled, or the
percentage added to the price at which
1T is sold by the producer.
Dollar Standard Utilized
1T is. possible, however, with this
paals OF measurement of the value at
tne place OF production of the merchar.
disc forming the internal commerce Of
the united States to measure the
CROWN OF the merchandise exchanged
among her own people from wear ia
year or decade to decade, though tho
TACT that this must be expressed in y
single unit OF measurement, the dollar
reduces the val luc of the comparisons
since general advances or reductions in
=. '.ss ~ would SHOW greater fluctuations
~. 49, the value hgures than those in GUAM
ui.rts: for purposes of general com
parls0n IN measuring the growth of the
grand total of all products forming the
internal commerce of the country it is
necessary 10 utilize the single standard
applicable to all, the dollar.
accepting the above discussed stand
ard of measurement of the ;ntsrnal
commerce of the country, a SINGLE
measurement at the place of prodnc-
lion OF all articles forming the in
eernai commerce Or the country. we
nna nm. tnat the internal commerce Of the
IN 1880 to $14,00O,OOO, 900 in 1890. so1
V0o,oo0oO0 in 1900; s34,00O,oOO 900 in
1910. and $4,000, 100000 in 1914. a
per capita average of $3.50 in 1880:
S222 IN 1890; $276 in 1900: s371 in
1910. and $400 in 1914.
IL IS interesting at this point in the
studies OF our internal commerce to
compare the value of the merchandise
eeSchanged among our own people with
ti .,la' eSchangcd between the nations Of
the world. International trade "a
usually stated consists of an accreoa
ton of the imports and exports of all
countries OF the world. but as. eytrv
arucle a. exported Is again counted when
!. becomes an import at destination
~ Is apparent that this customary ae
gregation of all the exports and im-
ports of all countries of the world
really count the merchandise twice.
hrs1' when exported from the country
OF production. and again when i'm
ported INTO the country of consumption.
ana that: therefore, the real value of
the merchandise forming international
trade of the world is but about one half
mat OF the customary statement of in
ternatlonal trade. For example. the
international trade of the world in
1918. the year preceding the war. which
may be accepted as a normal wear of
international trade, aggregated S4O.-
V"o,ooo, 900, but as this aggregation in
Guided al exports plus all imports it
IS apparent that the value of the mer-
ohandlse counted when exported and
again counted when imported is but
statement of international trade in
1913, $4,000 000OOO
International Trade Growth
Taking the stated values of interna-
tlonal trade at decennial periods 1890
down to the present time, we find that
the valu. OF merchandise forming i'm
tcrnational trade in 1880 was about
81 300 100000; 1890, $3.50 900 600.
1900, $10,0Go. 600, 600; 1910, $4,000 600.
GOO, and 1914, $4,000 100000, while The
value of the merchandise forming our
own internal trade was in 1880. 5000
100000; 1890, $4,000, 900, 600; 1900
s2l .o00.o 100000; 1870 s34 900 900 Goa.
1914. SAC. .ooo,0oo,000. The value of the
forming tho intnrna+;i