Show WONDERFUL FOREIGN TRADE the imports into abe cited states exceeded one billion dollars in the 12 months ending with march 1903 chii is alie first time in the history of our foreign commerce in which the imports in 12 months exceeded prior to 1870 alicy had never reach ed ad much as a half billion dollars in bingie year and it was not until 1890 eliat they reached three quarters of a billion dollars in value and nov for the first time they have passed the billion boljar line meantime the exports have grown with like rapidity in the 12 months ending with march 1003 the total export were against of imports giving an excess of exports during the 12 months of exports never reached a half billion dollars value in a single year until after 1870 in 1880 they passed for alic first time the three quarters of a billion dollar line in 1892 they for the first time exceeded and in alic 12 month ending with march 1903 they were and should alie export of april may and june average as high as those for barcli they would bring the total for the fiscal year past alie line the growth in imports has been especially marked during the past five years in the 12 months ending with march 1899 they were millions in value 1900 millions 1902 millions 1903 while it is not to state tlc alc foreign commerce by annual periods ending with maich the fact that the figures just pre by the treasury bureau of statistics which cover the 12 end ing with barcli 1903 show for tho first time a oal importation of one billion dollars in a 12 months period justifies a presentation of the figures for an annual period ending with march and covering a term of years the following table shows the total imports and exports in the 12 months ending with march from to 1003 imports exports 18 1897 i 1899 CO 1100 1901 1902 1903 tilia increase in importation is chiefly in manufacturers materials while the details of the march imports are not yet completed by alic treasury bureau of statistics the figures for and for alie months ending with february show a marked increase in the proportion which manufacturers materials couii of the total importation in alic month of february alone manufacturer fac materials formed more than 50 per cent of the total imports of the total imports of february 1903 per manufacturers materials while in february 1902 only per cent manufacturers in the S month ending with february 1903 manufacturers materials amounted to million dollars against millions in corresponding months of the preceding year en increase of 60 million dollars or nearly 20 per cent in the fiscal year formed 33 per cent of tho total imports in 1895 37 per cent in 1899 40 per cent in 1002 48 per cent in the eight month ending with february 1903 47 per tent and in the month of february 1903 51 per cent |