The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-09-24
orr DEPENDENCE ON THE TROPICS.

upon the tropics for food and manufacturers
material is evidenced by the TACT that over
three billion dollars worth OF tropical ana SUI
tropeal products entered continental Uhlteu
States in the fiscal year 1920 against less tllan
one billion dollars worth in 1913, and less IMAM
half billion In 1900. OF course, says state-
ment of the National City Bank OF New Iofh
discussing this closer relation OF the ohi'7a
States with its neighbors III the tropics, oohe
part of this tremendous increase IN values -
due to the ''high cost OF, but nevertheless ~ -
a fact that the quantity OF tropical piouuo''
consumed in the United States has tremendous
" increased and seems likely to go on mcreaslns
irrespective of high and still advancing piiceS
For example, the quantity OF cane sugar a.,
tropical, of course, entering contlnental oni.eo
States in the fiscal year 1920 was nearly nil,e
and one-half billion pounds against hi.1ie
more than seven and one-haf billions III the Luz
mediately preceding year and less than SIX DE
lions decade ago. vi Coffee strictly sropieai
the quantity imported in the fiscal year 1920 was
one billion four hundred million pounds against
one billion year earlier and only eight hun
dred and seventy-one million in 1910. Cocoa,
also exclusively tropical, shows total OF four
hundred and twenty million pounds in the i'm
ports of 1920 against one hundred and nine mil
for food purposes in various FORMS was two
hundred and sixty-nine million pounds In 1917
against fortv-eight million in 1910, and all OF
these at much higher prices than heretofore.
In manufacturing material, the increasing de
mands upon the tropics are quite as striking as
i'm those of foodstuffs. Of india-rubber, strictly
tropical the imports in 1920 were six hundred
and thirty-two million pounds, IN 1910 only one
hundred and one million pounds; OF raw cotton
the imports into this greatest cotton-gro"1ng
country of the world were in 1920 three hundred
and forty-fVe million pounds against elghty-slx
million in 1910; of raw silk, the product OF at
least sub-tropical climate, the 1920 imports
were forty-seven million l6unds against twenty
million in 1910; tobacco, ninety -four million
lpounds in 1920 against forty million IN
1910.
| This increase In quantities imported has been
made despite tremendous advances IN prices
meantime. The increasing importation OF trop-
ticaI products irrespective of the advance IN
price explains in some degree at least the tact
that we are now sending to the tropical and
| snb- tropical world three billion dollars a year
to purchase it's varied products as against
little over a. half billion dollars decade ago.
/ Happily, continues the bank statement, our
tropical friends have apparently recognized the
increase in our calls upon them for their natural
products and are reciprocating this attitude by
a large increase in their takngs of our products.
Manufactures of all sorts and certain food
stuffs, especially meats, condensed milk, and
flour, are the principal importations into the
tropics, and its people are steadily and rapidly
increasing their of these articles as produced
in the United States. The value Of our exports
to the tropical world in the fiscal year 1920 ag-
gregated in round terms nearly two billion
dollars against less than half billion IN 1910
! The observant publicist who has come to the
,Econclusion that freedom is not what Is attract
ing immigrants to this country nor keeping
them here after they arrive might spend an
hour or two at his studies again. The business
of this nation is not to make life attractive to
the newcomer in America, but to show him the
equal chance to make it attractive for himself
and to keep it so for his fellow citizens and for
: those who will follow him to these hospltable
! shores.
The world, as represented by America, has
= not lost faith in Frances old spirit of ''worb
1-A lr<srr II