Show IMPORTS AND EXPORTS tho report of the bureau ol 01 statis in washington concerning imports and exports during the fiscal afar ending june furnishes ft number of data by which it becomes easy to analyze tha great improvement of cur commercial relations especially the colossal in create of exportation this study is of abo greatest importance us one of the principal arguments advanced by he republicans in their favor ii the credit which they arrogate to their administration for the increased and renewed prosperity of the country through their fidelity o the protectionist policy abilo the democratic leaders and principles tend towards the establishment of freo trade which they contend would benefit the masses more largely than the monopolistic high tariff the significance of the rapid increase of import and export can only be realized if we consider which goods have formed the bulk of the transmarine freights we shall then be able to decide whether the revival of trade baa sprung from a sound natural dev elopement or from artificial hot bed cultivation in the last fiscal year our imports have arwen from to nearly while the export rose from to nearly 82 tho of duly frea goods increased by CO million that of dutiable merchandise however about among the duty free articles it was mainly coffee from 47 to 60 millions tea from 14 to 19 hides from 15 to 30 raw silk furs and other raw materials which caused the above quoted increase although a great portion of this increased imi port indicates not so much an increase of the bulk as rather an ins crease of the value of the articles in question we can still learn from it especially from the increased consumption of and tea that not only speculators and jobbers have bettered their conditions of life but also the groat masses of the people likewise a lively activity has made itsell manifest in those branches of industry which import their raw material partly or entirely from abroad it is true in a few of these instances the apparent improvement was deceptive and illusory as in the iron industry with regard to which we find that the import of pig iron alone rose from millions to nearly 14 and that of old iron from in 1878 79 to in the fiscal period of 1879 80 the in creasea importation u suggesting a growing disposition to wards luxuriousness is supported by several other similar fashionable items which might cause some ap in the thinking political economist were ii not that we find alu bulher side of the ledger the means for the settling of our expenses silken f of which we imbor ed the us year 24 millions worth figure in the last report with 32 millions woolen goods and cash meres with 10 against C dres goods with 15 and what is the most the import of cotton fabrics rose from 19 to 29 millions of it may appear curious that we enumerate these cotton with articles of but we will be justified if wo sup pose that bulk of this import consists of french prints mullins muslins and similar ladies dry goods which are still in preference pie ference among the fair sex on account of their elegance for a similar reason the importation of precious stones has risen from to millions tho gentlemen tio weyer seem to have taken more to wines and cigars of th former of which we imported stillions Sm illions dollars worth more last year than that previous oua As hinted ar do not deem cheso figures sufficient causes for gravo apprehensions although they are indicative of an increase of general and a greater display of luxo and extravagance the increase is mostly caused by tho rise of prices and because our balauch is still u favorable one and there aro the best indications of a to all appear europe will require this fall and winter m enormous supply ot bret and other articles of food tro in us as ll for instance will b unable to compete wih the slates this season having baen disastrous bics tics to her crops some pessimist ominously point out at tho fact that while our imports increased by millions iha exports increased only by millions but we mut not forget that we are still blessed a balance in our favor to abo enormous amount of million a insult for which all the stales etrope may justly envy us if we now luin our attention to the caugh or tho inc reiso olour ear ports we will at anc have to confront the grolet and irrefutably act which we havo so often insisted upon that the financial bick bono and economical marrow of our country is homely sturdy agriculture the expert of corn wheal and cotton las in crewed aft that of cattle abid lard sa aich ahn increased exportation dincoff of food is doubly necessary as it ftp pers from the returns that tha export of is declining if this dadino docs not originator inato from a deterioration of our manufacturers what we could prove nor assume it shows us ahm our transatlantic com ro operating wah leoro skill and care this shows a curious light on the assertions of the krotec zionists tha european workman whose beef and bread comes from stalls and granaries can aft ord to work cheaper and undersell w on our own ground notwithstanding ire have surrounded our coast with the chinese wall of protective tariffs our customs are steadily improving so that they cannot afford to buy anything elso of u but the Marics of bodily sustenance this is directly indicated by the bahri ikano in our export of tobacco and seigar in the use of which the european laborer has had to subject liim self to a retrenchment some might rejoice iu the declining prosperity of our transoceanic corn farther seeing men will observe the danger that lurks in the impoverishment ol 01 our best customers and will deplore the policy of killing the goose eliat lays the golden aggi eggi |