The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1888-06-07
LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,

very Respectfully,
THOMAS p. MARTIN.
LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,
TOXIC, JAPAN, April 81, 1888. }
Thomas P. Martin, Eco:
NV Dear Friend-Keeping always in
grateful memory our intimate official, as
we'll as social, friendly relations in the
years which have gone, and knowing, too
your sincere interest in whatever con-
Germs our American intercourse with for
eign governments-poli and COM
mercially-as kindly expressed in your
letters to me, have taken the liberty OF
enclosing herewith copies of the addresses
delivered at the United States legation on
the occasion april 16) of compliment,
ary banquet given by me to the recently
appointed envoy extraordinary and min
lister plenipotentiary from Japan to the
United States. What was said at that
exchange of diplomatic courtes'es will
give you pleasant understanding of the
friendly and cordial relations existing be-
tween this remarkably progressive people
of the Orient and the great republic. A
similar courtesy was extended to the
United States minister and legation by
the Japanese minister and representative
men of the empire on the 18th of April
thereafter.
Being-it goes without saying-as
know you to be thorough American, l
did not doubt that you would welcome
any indication, in whatever form, of our
growing American commercial power as
we'll as friendly political influence in this
portion of the far east. Therefore, have
transmitted the enclosures indicated.
The last annual customs returns of the
foreign trade of Japan show that the ag-
gregate export and import trade between
the United States and that country, for
1887, was, in round numbers, $25,000,000
or S2,500,000 in excess of the trade of
Great Britain and all her colonies with
Japan; $19,00O,000 in excess of Germany's
trade with Japan and $12,000,O00 more
than that of France with this country.
While this aggregate trade with the United
States export and import) has increased
since 1885 over $6,O00,OO0 (annual esti-
mates) the balance of the trade lie, unfor-
tunately, still
IN FAVOR OF ENGLAND.
This results, undoubtedly, from our
high American tariff, which has made our
American home market more remunera-
tive to producers and manufacturers than
the foreign markets, under free trade and
cheaper labor. 1t has thus, hitherto, acted
as an embargo against shipments of our
American goods to the far east, in COM
petition with the manufacturers of
European nations. If, however, only con-
tent with smaller profits than received in
the United States for our surplus produc-
tions, our American manufacturers need,
henceforth, never complain of over pro-
duction at home for even century to
come; nor would there be, henceforth, any
real or fancied excuse for shutting down
the mills and factories to prevent the So
called "over PRODUCTION" or Surplus" ex-
ceeding the home demand, ETC., at the
cruel cost of the many thousands of
and operatives, who must be fed and
clothed by their daily toll. With 3S,OOO,-
600 of Japanese, among whom there are
fewer paupers than any people on the face
of the earth, as statistics prove !; the AGO.
100000 of Chinese, besides the millions of
the other nations Of the east, who want and
must seek the productions of the loom,
the mine and the mill, either from Amer
lea or Europe, such as for many years to
come they will not manufacture them
selves, the western nations can always
find market in Asia hereafter for ali
that surplus with which reproduction
olnts the American market and for what
our own consumers at home do not re-
ouire, their needs being already supplied
With deep water on the Pacific coast, the
nearest neiphbor to those ancient peoples;
two weeks only by ordinary fest steam
ships from San Francisco to Yokohama
and thirty days only by sailing vessels,
and the Pacific coast being only six days by
rail from the greatest of American cotton
and wool producing states (Texas), and
less than a weeks travel to all of the
other cotton and wool producing states
of the union, and with competing lines,
even now, of steam and sail, between
japan and China and the Pacific
slope, as we'll as competing lines between
all parts of the union AID the Pacific
ocean, insuripg and giving cheap translts
to the products of our cotton, wooden and
iron mills, and our flour and general mer-
chandise. With these premises considered
and these unquestioned facts admitted,
why should not the United States-the
south and southwest, especially-seize
this golden opportunity by the forelock,
SO to speak, by putting their money into
manufacturing enterprises and building
Lowells and Manchesters in all our
southern and southwestern states, and
thus secure for themselves rich partner
ship in the growing trade with the east?
The cotton mills of Georgia, for example,
now sell immense quantities of their
goods to China, as the trade returns Of
ficially show.
What Georgia does Texas and all south
ern states may do in seeking and occupy
ing
NEW FIELDS FOR TRADE.
These brief statistics given above Illus
trate without any rose-coloring what has
been done in the past and what may be
accomplished in the near future. In the
United States Consular Reports for 1883,
1886 and 1887, you will, l hope, read ana
observe the status and growth OF our
American trade with japan and obstruc-