The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-06-10
JAPAN'S WEAKENING
Consul Connolly Tells of
a New Market for Amer
lean Enterprise.
HOW TO INCREASE OUR TRADE
People There Want Goods From
the United states-ofi-
cial Report.

Consul James F. Connolly, of Newark,
who represents the United States at
Osaka ard Hioga, in Japan, has for
warded to the Department of State at
Washington an important document on
how to increase American trade in Japan.
Consul Connolly has procured a c%onvinc-
ing array of statistics to back up his
statements, say the Sunday Call" of
Newark. The document will shortly be
published by the Government and any
one can procure a copy when it is ready
for issue by sending a request for it to
the Department of State, Washington,
D. G.. Here are a few extracts from the
Consulss long paper
The development of both internal and
foreign. trade is the all-absorbing problem
with every class of the people Of Japan.
The system of education employed in the
schools is admirably adapted to the turn
ing out of well equipped business men,
so far rs a practical commercial educa-
ton can accomplish such an end. Mer-
chants. manufacturers and, in fact, all
engaged in trade actively or by invest
ment OF capital are making and will con-
tinue to make the very best use of the
time intervening between the present and
the coming into operation of the lately re-
vised treaties: in borrowing, ad, libitum,
the products Din the shape of l~abor-saving
appliances) of the inventive genius of the
people Of the United States, and of every
other nation, for use in the workshops
of the empire. and will resurn the results
in m-erchantable goods to the people of
the nations from whom they are now bog-
rowing at prices which will make COM
petition an exceedingly difficult problem
to solve.
Until such time as the internal develop
ment of Japan is further advanced in
every respect, her people will be obliged,
If the extraordinary effort of the present
in manufacturing is continued, to pur-
chase largely the manufactured products
of other nations, IN addition to cotton,
wool, jute. iron and hides, and will I'M
qnestionably, during the operation of the
present treaties, or until such time as
some arrangement is made for the pretec-
ton of ~patentees. purchase samples of
novel labor saving appliances for produc-
ton and utilization.
The banking facilities of the empire
consist OF l4S national and 100 private
noticeable defects connected with inc Jas,
anese banking business, to wit, heavy in
terest charges and am absence of any per-
menently established credit system. Under
present conditions these defects are not
fatal. as nearly all the trade Of Japan is
doGe IN a cash business, credit in buying
or selling being the exception 1t IS
Well to remember that at present the bulk
OF the foreign trade is done indirectly or
through foreign houses having branches
located in the open points, vino do not, to
any appreciable extent, use the banking
facilities of the empire. When the time
arrives hat the merchants, manufacturers
and others of Japan trade direct, the pres
ent system viii have to be r~en1odeled.
The opening up of China to the invest
ment of capital and trade operations. ac-
cornplished by the Japanese Themselves,
while 1T deserves the commentator of
civilization, viii eventually prove another
and, perhaps. the most serious drawback
to the future trade of Japan. The mines,
soil and animal resources of China are as
rich and productive as those of Japan.
The Chinese are noted for their bushes
integrity and are rarely charged with
failure to live up to their trade agree
ments. Labor of every description is
cheaper. and, in nearly every other re-
spect, equal to that of Japan, while it is
in SO much greater abundance that ii
will not be in a position, for many years
to come, to continually and successflIlly
demand increased reward. In addition
to this, the investment of foreign capital
is not, under present conditions, repulsed.
either by the Government or the people
of that country. The immediate result
OF this is that vast sums are being in
vested by he capitalists of America.
Europe and japan in the building up of
industries ana the OF the
most approved mechanism.
Telling how to increase American
trade in Japan, Consul Connolly says
"The only conclusion that can be ar
rived at, after a careful .arnplification of
the figures and facts given, as to the
import and export trade of this EN-
pire is that the Japanese are devoid Of
sentiment in matters of trade to the ex-
tent, at least, of selling their productions
in the markets thai pay the best prices
for them and purchasing such COM
modities as they require in the markets |
that seM them the cheapest, SO far as
the tenders made for their trade by the
agents of the several competing markets. !
1t is also evident that, so far as the
people of the United States are con-
petitors for the trade of japan to any
appreciate extent, but are purchasers
and consumers of nearly one-haJf of all
p produces for foreign markets.
AS the people of Japan become more
proficient in the mechanical arts, their |
trade with the American people must IN
crease, as the United States is tf1es near
est available market for the sale of s,,nh |
merchandise as advancement in such arts
will lead them to produce. Being per-
'fectly coglizant Of these facts, they
are using every available meaps to en-
able them to trade directly, and. to this |
end, are educating their students in the
English language, and sending those
to transact business. not throuch
mlaui6IHeH, put dlrectly with OUR mer-
chants and manufacturers The mar
kets of China, Australia and India being
used for the sale of their indifferent
manufactures and surpIusage, their ex-
port trade with European nations will
not materially increase.
In my efforts ito ascertainNtlle reasons
why the people of the United States do
not receive more of the trade favor of
typed reply has been received from fhe
foreign merchants resident in the omen
ports of the empire and from native buv-
ers. That reply is that the quality of
American products is excellent, but the !
producers do not seem to consider the
trade of Japan sufficiently important To
remodel their prices and freight rates
to the extent necessary to meet the COM
petition of the producers of other ma
tons.
IF the people of the United States inter
eSted IN trade matters could be Induced
to give a fractional part of itile tima
thought and expense which they snpcestsar,
Nv devote to the question Of overproduc- |
ton and its effects on the STABILITY of
nome prices to Japan, as a suitable mar
ket Tor their surplusage, they would nor I
ease the home market, but would he
enabled to reduce the cost of their whole
proa1IctIon, and, in the end, make their
These people, moreover, are ready and
more than willing to transfer the larres.
OF their trade, now Controlled nv
manufacturers and merchants Of Great I
RFllaMs france and Germany IA fhasaaSof
N zgnEIGd Sfates, IL they will ~ssinnnlx]
En- fQr81fAto the extent OF meetinag cay5s
e. hlIlous as7tQ prices and character 81 rnsr-