Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 22, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 October 1900 — COAL EXPORTS BOOMING. [ARTICLE]

COAL EXPORTS BOOMING.

Valne of the Exports to the Islands Now in Our Control. A great part of the increased exports of coal have been due directly to the Republican policy of expansion. Th# following comparative table of exports for the years ending July, 1899, and 1900, shows an enormous percentage of gain In the export of coal to new lands over which the American flag has been waving (temporarily In Cuba): Twelve months ending July: ——— 1899. 1900. Cuba ... 337,368 726,815 Porto Rico ’ 21,980 53,829 Hawaii 37,982 117,741 Philippines 44,740 143,633 In the case of Cuba and of Porto Rico the exports of American coal have more than doubled. In the case of Hawaii they have increased threefold. In the case of the Philippines they have increased by more than 200 per cent. The opportunities and the “ifs.” This enormous Increase in the export demand for American coal means that

within a short time thousands of square miles of coal lands now lying Idle throughout the West may’ be opened, and the wage paying and the wage earning capacity of this country may be enormously Increased. Porto Rican Trade. Four months’ operations of the Porto Rican tariff law show an Increase of more than 100 per cent Ip our exports to that Island, as compared with the corresponding months of 1899, and more than., 300 per cent as compared with the corresponding months of 1897 or 1896. The act went into effect May 1, 1900, so that the figures for August, which have just been completed by the Treasury Bureau of Statistics, complete the record of the fourth month of commerce between the Island and the United States under the new law, and render practicable a comparison of the four months’ term with corresponding periods in preceding years. The exports and imports are as follows: Imports from Porto Rico into the United States: 1896. 1900. May $480,821 $1,103,867 June 516,746 1,218,257 July 254,676 640,023 August 107,880 281,903 Total 4 m0nth5.51,360,123 $3,244,050 Exports to Porto Rico from the-United States: 1896. 1900. May $113,069 $696,479 June 178,313 890,999 July 101,944 529,729 August 194,361 408J538 Total 4 months. $587,686 $2,525,845 Decrease of Wool Imports. Year ending June 30. Pounds. 1897 —Cleveland and free trade 350,852,026 1899 —McKinley and protection 76,736,209 •Difference favoring protection 274.115,817 Mr. Bryan favors free wool and.large imports. What do the wool-grdwers say to that? - Well Answered. “Hello, old chap!” exclaimed the man with bls hat on the back of his head. “How are you prospering?” “I’m goIhg to vote for McKinley,” replied the man with the sample case. And no other answer was needed.—Chicago Tribune.