The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-12-30
wospxEFuL NAraos.

TIE development OF the japanese ma
ton in commerce and manufacture Is
as marvellous at their proficiency IN
arms and diplomacy. Their skill in these
two latter has been recently manifested
to the surprise of the whole world OF
tie FORMER not 50 much Is known save
by those who from curiosity or interest
have made special investigation. 1t Is
evident that Japan Is to become great
manufacturing and commercial nation
In the production OF cotton yarn Japan
is already competing In China with
English and East India mills. which ten
years ago had an almost exclusive mof-
opcly of that trade.
In 1885 there was but one cotton mill
In the japanese empire: In 1887 there
were tnirty-five. and since that time
nearly as many more have been put in
operation. Only native labor is employ
ed, the wages averaging is IL cents
day for males and cents a day for fe-
males The mills are operated by cleo
tricity and are run in two shifts of
eleven hours each. Cotton yarn is most
" produced. but iatteriy piece goods OF
every kind are being turned out With
satisfactory results. The imports OF
cotton have increased from 100000
pounds In 1856 to 10z. 9oo. 600 in 1898. In
the five years between 1887 and 1892 the
expert trade of Japan with other Asiatic
countries increased nearly 400 per cent
No more striking commentary could be
presented than these figures, when 1T
is considered that within the past thir-
ty years this people have emerged from
standardization.
Business men will be interested in
the following figures which we take
from an article in the Syracuse, N. y.
Herald, as to the development effrade
and manufactures In this newly risen
power among the nations. There are
more than 50 chambers of commerce,
Is rice exchanges. 3 stock and general
exchanges and 1916 markets where at
intervals, daily, monthly or yearly.
dealers meet to trade.
There are 134 national banks, with
paid up capital Of nearly fifty million
D.
ital, paid UP. of ten millions, and is the
organ of the government in its financial
aspect. There are 252 private banks.
with a paid up capital Of twenty mil
lions, and numberiesS semi-banking
concerns with a paid up capital or
about fourteen millions. There are 3l21
joint stock companies, their capital ag-
grcgatipg s1S3, 900, 900. of which 1886 are
commercial, 1920 industrial and the rest
agricultural. In the empire in 1892 there
were 24S9 factories, with a capital or
more than seventy millions.
There are five schools under the d.
rect supervision of the government. in
which among other branches the in
dustrial and fine arts are taught. Be-
sides these there are schools On nearly
every city in which branches intended
to increase the industrial and CONNER
ciai genius OF the people are taught.
In q half dozen of the leading cities
there are industrial museums where
are exhibited almost every kind OF ma
chinery and there are hundreds OF
newspapers and periodicals treating of
manufacture, science and agriculture.
There are alco over 1000 miles of rail-
way in Japan.
While the trade OF Japan with Eng
land has shown a steady diminution for
the past twenty years, it is a crafty
ing fact that trade with the United
States has as steadily increased Our
exports OF domestic merchandise to
that country last year were s3.ls9.711,
while our imports We're So, 454.220. There
would appear 10 be no good reason why
this trade should not be largely increas-
ed. especially our export trade. should
a treaty of reciprocity be entered into
with our Western neighbor. The friend
" feeling of the Japanese toward our
government and the great disparity in
distance ought TO make this country
successful competitor with any Euro
peS.n nation IN The markets OF Japan
and all other countries on the east
coast OF Asia.