The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-04-09

SVaSt = tooE 4fsue W SAN.Ss " aSkC =
New Market has Been Made Sufficient 10
Produce a Practical shortage in Worlds
Grain Supplies, and Admonishss the
Tariff Law Makers to Give the Trade q
Show.
Washington. April s.-James ]. Hill
president OF the Great Northern railroad
and who is also interested largely in
transportation to the Orient, has written
a letter 70 a western senator in which
ne points out he possibility OF trade in
China and Japan and suggestes that tar
if duties De so adjusted as not to pre-
vent or cut off trade with The countries
across the Pacific. He says:
''Tne Asiatic trade is OF the greatest
importance TO this country and partic-
ulariy to such portions of it as are in
terested in raising wheat" and contin-
ues:
"A yea- ago last fall wheat sold for
Is to % cents per bushel in the Palouse
country. south OF Spokane Falls, and
this year it has sold for from 90 10 20
cents. A bout three years ago l sent an
agent 10 China and Japan 10 investigate
thoroughly that steps should be taken
10 introduce the general use OF wheat
-four IN those countries, as against their
own rice, and found that ii was lsimply
a matter OF price. then took up the
consideration OF building large steamers
-,
OF flour or grain at low rates. 1 found
we could build ships but that. owing
TO the sailors union fixing the wages Of
sailors at $50 a month and engineers and
other ship employees at about twice the
wages paid by European steamers. IT
would be impossible for us 10 compete
with the English, German and Scandi-
navian ships already on the Pacific
ocean.
SUBSIDIZED STEAMERS.
after the war with China the Japa
nese appropriated a large amount Of
their war indemnity for a subsidy 10
their merchant marine and we opened
negotiations with the general steamship
company of Japan which is owned by
the leading men of the empire. We
found their subsidy was about equal TO
the cost of their coal and the wages OF
their sailors. They pay their ssailors
s. month, Mexican, or $3.50 in gold.
enabling them TO hire twelve good sail
ors for the wages of one American sailor.
After some protracted and difficult ne
got.ations we concluded a contract with
them for line of steamers between Chi
nese and japanese ports and Seattle on
condition that they would carry -four
from Puget Sound to the Asiatic ports
at s3 a ton, as against from 81 TO sS a
ton formerly charged from west coast
ports in the United States. This low
rate fixed the rates for all other lines
between the Pecific coast and Asia and
has resulted in carrying out about 2S,
GJ0.0 .030 bushels, or its equivalent in -four,
from the last crop. There is left. ! under
stand. about 100000 bushels to be NOV
ed between now and the next harvest.
A PRACTICAL SHORTAGE.
"Thus you Will see we have been able
to find new mouths which have never
before used wheaton bread, to take the
entire California, Oregon and Washing
ton wheat crop out Of the European mar
kets. This will reduce the amount going
TO Europe about 90 per cent and in
bushels about 10000 900. three times the
quantity shipped to Europe from the Ar
gentine during tn past crop year. The
prices OF wheat this year, as compared
with last year. are about 20 to - cents
higher and I think it may be said that
due 10 the withdrawal of all the Pacific
Wneat from me European markets. I
see in this mornings market reports a
telegram that European ships are load
ing with barley. rye and merchandise
from San Francisco 20 Europe. after
waiting four months for cargoes OF
wheat. and that no more whea; will go
TO Europe from the Pacific coast. The
only way We could bring about this
great reduction in the cost OF transpor-
tation Of flour TO Asia was by diverting
the tea and mating business. which has
heretofore gone mainly on the English
ships from Asia direct TO New York, ana
bringing those commodities 10 The Pa
c:fic coast by low rate of transporta-
tiOn inland by ran 10 distribute the COM
modities To points between Minnesota
and New York.
IMPORTANCE OF THE TRADE.
81 have given you the details so that
you will understand the situation and be
able 20 see that unless these ships can
bring their main cargoeS OF merchandise
10 the Pacific ports at rates that viii
them for the traffic. the bus
mess must 60, as heretofore. 70 New
York and the rates on -four 10 Asiatic
ports will be again Al the old figures.
or an advance Of about 30 cents a bar
rel, which would. in my judgment. de-
stToy the business that has just begun 20
be built up with that country. The prov
ince Of Annoy alone, which is near the
coast. contains over 81, 100. 900 Of people. |
and al twenty pounds OF -four per cip-
lta per annum would consume the pro-
duct OF t0.o00.000 bushels Of wheat; The
large districts of Tien Tsin and Snsng- /
hai, both easily accessible from the sea. /
would consume about as much more as /
coon as the trade can be fully opened /
l. Is not outside the range OF p0ssib'i- I
ity that We could ship wheat from Dew /
Is Lake 70 the Pacific coast for tais .
trade We certainly could az 50 cents 1
= bushei cost fl- the wheat e. Dev.Ts /
Lake. Or points wes; a. long a. the de- 4
mani for four continues 20 grow as i
mas for the past SIX months"
WHEN TRAVELLING.