The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-23
Selling Market Of the World Be-
comes the United States.

The terrific backslide of our May
exports from the April figures-down
$10S,000000 In q single month--may
be of no permanent consequence In the
whole record of our foreign trade
balance. April's $714,5OO,OOO topped
dizzy pinnacle as against Mays $780,
100000; but, with hundreds of mill
ions Of bushels of our new wheat crop
all but ready to swing like the tides
of the sea from our shores to the Old
World, we may yet see the nearly
three-quarters of q billion Of dollars
of May exports as a low peak among
lofty range.
But. whatever the story yet to grow
out Of those exports, we may not mis-.
take the meaning of our imports.
They were in May the highest of all
our history. If this were only the
sudden outpouring Of foreign markets
after years OF being shut In by the
war-if it. were like the bursting Of
dam, the contents flooding down upon
us In one sweep, we could visualize,
with the emptying of the reservoir, a
simiinr fall. But ever since the war
began-in truth, ever since Mr.. VIII
SON and his Democratic party took
over our Government To throw open
the nations tariff gates to strangers,
our imports have sweffed like the
spring rise Of rivers. - HO4N1 u
In 1913 while the country was
waiting for the Wilson-Kitchin Con-
gress to work out it's tariff act the
May imports were $133, 900. In
May. 1914, just before the outbreak
of the war, they were $164, 2S1 900.
In May, 1915, with little shipping for
anybody but the belligerents, the i'm
ports we're S142, 2s4, 900. In May, 1916,
with readjusted overseas trading, they
were sos, 1874 900 in May, 1917, $685.
SCI, 900; in 1918, $780,, 1852, 600; and
in 1919, 1923, 100000.
With last May we were only one
month short of the completion Of the
fiscal year of 1919. For these eleven
months of this fiscal year our imports
We're $2,sO0,000,OO0. In 1918 they
were s2,6s6, 100000; in 1917, $780,
100000; in 1916. $1,952, 100000; in
1915, $1.516,OOO,O0O.
Ten years ago our May imports
were $116,O00,O00, and eleven years
ago they were $S4,OOO,OOO, as against
the 1925, 100000 of May this year OF
1919. Ten years ago the imports for
the eleven months Of the fiscal year
were $1,1S7, 900, 900, and eleven years
ago, they were $1,100,0O0,OOO, as
against the $2,s00OO0,O00 of the
eleven months of this fiscal year OF
1919.
And the Teutonic nations are still
locked up, tight as drum. Russia
far from helping TO supply others, is
devouring herself in maniacal
frenzy of economic suicide. Italy is
crying for succor. France only begins
10 start the fires Of industry. Britain
getting back on the job In the ole
logged way, has her own warehouses
vet to fill Nevertheless, our imports
come down upon us, avalanche after
avalanche.
Shipping we now have to dot thu
Seven Seas under our own flag while
the cargo rates are still inordinately
high. Shipping we now have to sci
in fleets to any race that ventures tn,
deep for traffic. Shipping there will
be aplenty for the belligerent nations
Of Europe, as one after another the,
resume their normal work and agar
turn out surplus products with which
10 freight their argosles to us, tn,
greatest, the richest, the most coveted
market under all the skies.
The worlds selling market is not t.
become-it has become--the Unite,
States Of America.
Look, you Americans, at that vas
bulk towering into the clouds as 1
drifts across the shining waters {.
your ports! Who to-day shall meas
ure your imports OF tomorrow? I
now you merely walt, what then?