The Portland daily press., 1897-12-31

In Japan the cotton planters of the
United States have found new market
for their product. Japan has been an
importer of our cotton in small amounts
for several years. In only the last two
years, however, has American cotton
been shipped to the land of the Mikado in
quantities sufficiently large to influence
the market here. So great has become
eae demand for American cotton in Japan
now that the cotton planters of the
South are beginning to feel that their
plantations may again become gold
mines.
The increase in the export of cotton to
japan this5year as against last year is
significant. According to the latest state
ment issued from the Bureau of S5atis-
tics the exports for November, 1897, were
1888. 6S3 pounds, as against 1894, 102
pounds in November, 1896. Fer the three
months ending Nov. /. 1897. the exports
value at 1861. sol, as against 1884, 1874
pounds valued at s346, 1872 for the same
period last year.
The reason for this increased demand
for our cotton Is found in the fact that
Japan has been making rapid Strides in
the last few years in the manufacture of
cotton goods and cotton yarns. 1t is
said that Japan's spinning mills are the
finest in the Orient. To those already In
operation new ones are being added year
ly. The machinery in these new mills,
it is said, is the finest that can be bought.
All this is the effect of Western civiliza-
ton upon the wise men of Japan, whose
one idea for several years has been the
material development OF the Island En-
pire. Until within a few years Japan
imported most of her yarns and most of
her other cotton goods from India. Now
she is exporting yarns to China and Per-
STA, and those who should know say that
japanese cotton goods manufacturers are
anxious to compete with the manufactur-
ers of England and the United States.
Japan is still buying the greater part
of her raw cotton from India. From Chi
ma she gets the next largest amount, and
from the United States the next largest
In 1895, for example, sixty-one yarn man
ufacturers imported 2l7, U00, 900 pounds of
cotton, which was supplied as follows
From India. 10000, 900 pounds, from
China 1000, 600 pounds. from the United
States s4.No 00o pounds, from other
sources 1900, 600 pounds.
OF course the low price of American
cotton this year has had something to do
with the increase in our cotton exports to
Japan. Ihis will not alone account.
however, for the great difference which
will be sh6Tn at the end of the year.
The true cause of this increase IS the in
crease IN the number of Japanese spin
ming mills in the last year. All this must
indicate to our cotton planters the .op-
portdnities for still larger sales of raw
cotton in the Japanese markets. It is
pointed cut that the demand for our cot
ton there must increase because of its
longer staple, which makes it more suit
able for yarn manufacture than the In
dian fibre. Another thing that favors a
still further increase in our export cotton
trade with Japan is the fact that China.
hoping to become s. successful rival of
Japan as cotton manufacturer. has
erected mills which will consume the
greater part of the cotton grown in China
for several years to come. Japan former
ly raised considerable cotton. but it has