The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-03
DOMINICAN TRADE
FAVORABLE TO u. S.
80 Per Cent. Of Island Repub-
lies Imports in 1917 Came
From Us.
COMMERCE IS EXPANDING
Natural Resources of Great
Value Await Development
in SantO Domingo.
COMMERCE IS EXPANDING

The enormous increase in the imports
OF American goods into the Dominican
republic from 1914, when the war be-
gan. to 1917, has called the attention
OF commercial and banking interests to
the possibilities OF this little nation.
While the Imports into the republic from
England. France and Germany declined
the latter greatest OF all. those from the
United States mounted steadily. While
investigations into the possibilities of the
country for after the war development
were being conducted many valuable
facts have been made more generally
known than ever before.
The value of our imports into the
Dominican republic" says the Natenal
Bank of Commerce. Increased from
s4452347. or Sc per cent. OF the total
imports in 1914, to S14.320,351, or So
per cent in 1917. This gain was mainly
at the expense OF Germany, which
dropped from furnishing II per cent. OF
the total imports in 1914 to supplying
nothing in 1917. The percentage of tho
total imports which came from Great
Britain, France and italy also declined.
For the year ended June 80, 1918. for
which United Stats figures alone are
available, the value OF the imports from
the United States amounted to s1s.011,-
OLE. /Such figures suggest a field for
trade expansion exceedingly inviting TO
the United States and particularly follow
under existing conditions"
Growth of Republics Trade.
That the trade OF the Dominican Re-
public is growing rapidly Is evidenced by
the fact that the value OF its foreign
trade in 1917 attained the record figure
OF $a9s44.S44. as against s33,1s2.So3 in
1916. and only s24,327.575 in 1915: the
exports for 1917 totalled 322.444.5S0, or
over 100000 more than the imports.
showing on the whole very favorable
trade balance. In its barter with the
United States for the year ended June
30. 1918, its exports were valued at
ss.0s1.4lo, or S7949607 less than we
exported to the republic.
Here. then, is the trade balance OF invit-
ing proportions In our favor to start with
and there will be found below some rev.
elations as to the natural resources OF
the country and the awakening OF its
people to modern methods Of business
and living that suggest a most promising
opportunity for American enterprise.
There are natural resources OF immense
value to be developed. and In the process
there will be large need for machinery
and supplies.
The demand Is one which the mer-
chants and manufacturers OF the United
States may supply II they but learn the
needs and conditions OF the market and
take the pains to meet them. Coupled
with the practical monopoly OF the field
which the war has brought. for the time
being. there Is a distinct geographic ad-
vantage that forms very material as
set.
The Dominican Republic. which occu-
pies the eastern and larger norton of the
Island. which also includes Hayti. Is but
74o miles from Panama and ESQ miles
from New York. These distances In
comparison with haulage OF $3.50 miles
10 Southampton emphasize the advan-
tage which the United States enjoys In
the matter Of transport. The area COW
cred by the republic Is about 1895
square miles, and the population Is given
as 1880.