Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-25
YANKEE PRODUCTS IN CHINA.
a treat Opening for Them II American
Merchants Would Try

CP0fnS tof Inem III Am eric2n
Merchants Would Try.
China. with its population Of 400, ooo. 900. Of
iers most natterins prospects as future mar
ket Tor American products, according to recent
advices communicated to the Department
OF State BY the United States consul at Hong
hong. This official states that IL merchants in
this country desire to secure opportunities in
mat market thew must study more carefully
than they have done hitherto both the national
characteristics OF these orientals and the pre-
else nature of their requirements The first
may be briefly summarized as follows: Intense
conservatism. a stolid disregard of what we
would call personal comfort strangely COM
bined in the vealthier classes with lavish ex-
Penoiture and great love Of display in their do
nestle life; and in business matters an extreme
caution, amounting to utter indifference as to
the adoption Of modern ideas or inventions.
nese pecdliarities are well exemplified in the
Cninese inhabitants Of American cities, who,
sftcr years Of contact with their white neigh
oOrs, still cling to their hard uncomfortable
chairs and couches. never even substituting the
feather or hair pillow for their neck breaking
wooden article, while they ported from Hong
hong alone last wear over $4,000 worth OF
Chinese fo$d products and S53OOO worth of
Chinese medicines
American merchants in irving to open a
chinese market for their products must study
the requirements of the people as they do not
appear to have thought of doing up to the
present time. For example. in a country where
mere are practically no wheeled vehicles.
everything being transported on the shoulders
OF bare-fOOted coolies. there is naturally little
need OF paved or macadamizet roads. and 10 il
consequently absurd to think Of introducing
expensive American road-msking machinery,
rock crushers. ponderous steam rollers aad the
Ike Yet the consul at Hong Kong saws that
he Is constantly receiving letters from American
manufacturers asking his assistance IN intro
ducing these and other machinery, such
mills and planning mills. moving and threshing
machines and hsrvesters, all equally absurd in
their in2daptabili.y to the Requirements of a
country where here are no large far ms or PLAN
tations and where human labor is cheap as
g. be a drug in the market
For certain American products on the other
hard. such as four. kerosene oil lamps clocks,
watches. knit goods. umbrellas. &c. there is al
ready a large and steadily increasing demand
Unquestionably many Yankee mechanical in
ventons. such as small gas engines, foot lathes.
printing presses and especially hand tools and
hardware OF every description, would find
ready sale If the Chinese had an opportunity to
he convinced of their utility and economy
This can never be accomplished however by
the policy hitherto followed BY most American
manufacturers of flooding the country with
descriptive trade circulars and illustrated cata-
logues.
The one thing needful above all others to
convert the splendid possibilities of our COM
mercial future in China into a remunerative
certainty is the personal introduction of our
wares and patient explanation of their advan-
tAges by intelligent agents. In other words
American manufacturers should drum up trade
IN an enterprising American fashion among
these pigtailed people of the orient At the
same time it should be remembered that the
custom once secured can only be retained by
absolute integrity and fair dealing. inasmuch
a. the Chinese are shrevd traders and their
confidence IN an individual dealer once shaken
can never be regsined- 1t is estimated BY one
of the iarges; -four importers in Hong Kong
that in 1881 1,s5OGO0 quarter sacks of -four
were imported into China from America. Each
quarter sack contains forty-rine pounds of
-four and sells in Hong Kong for an average
price OF SL30 in Mexican money, or nearly 81
In gold