Indies and the Chinese empire, take the bulk
of American exports, which for so large an industry are inconsiderable.
The imports have always been well in excess of the exports. The
encouragement of home industries by tariffs was definitely aimed at
after the war with England during the Napoleonic struggles, and although
a sensible reduction of duties was experienced after 1845 the reaction
to protection that followed the Civil War was never significantly
departed from except by the single act of 1883. In 1790 the duties on
cotton goods were 7-1/2% _ad valorem_, and they rose gradually until they
reached 25% in 1816. Slight reductions some seventeen years later were
followed in the early 'forties by a tariff of 30%. Diminutions were
succeeded by oscillations, though at no point was a low level touched.
Severe charges were imposed in 1890, and after some relaxation in 1894
the policy of restrictiveness was restored in 1897. According to the
calculations made by the English Board of Trade in 1903[50] no fabrics
were admitted at a charge equivalent to less than 68% _ad valorem_, and
no yarns were admitted at a charge lower than 45% _ad valorem_. Cotton
thread is subjected to a rate equivalent to 375%[51]

The character of the growth of the cotton industry in the United States,
as revealed by recent census returns, is peculiarly interesting:--

+------------------------+--------------------------------------+-----------------------------+
| | Thousands | Percentage Increase |
| +--------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| | 1880. | 1890. | 1900. | 1905. |1880-1890|1890-1900|1900-1905|
+------------------------+--------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Active Spindles | 10,653| 14,188| 19,008| 23,156| 33.8 | 34 | 21.8 |
| Looms | 226| 325| 451| 541| 43.90 | 38.7 | 20 |
| lb. cotton consumed | 750,344|1,117,946|1,814,003|1,875,075| 48.99 | 62.3 | 3.3 |
| Wages | $42,041| $66,025| $85,126| $94,378| 57 | 28.9 | 10.9 |
| Capital |$208,280| $354,021| $460,843| $605,100| 70 | 30.2 | 31.3 |
| Employees not officers | | | | | | | |
| and clerks