The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1897-04-09

for Us to compete with the English,
German, Italian and Scandinavian
ships already on the Pacific ocean.
After the war with China the japanese
appropriated large amount of their
war indemnity for a subsidy to their
merchant marine, and we opened nego-
tiations 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 sailors s.
month, Mexican money, or $50 in
gold, enabling them to hire II good
sailors for the wages of one American
sailor After some protracted and
difficult negotiations we concluded
contract with them for line of steam
ers bet Chinese and Japanese ports
and Seattle, on condition that they
would carry -four from Puget Sound to
the Asiatic ports at So ton, as against
from 81 to $S a ton formerly charged
from west coast p0rts in the United
States. This low rate fixed the rate for
all other lines between the Pacific coast
and Asia, and has resulted in carrying
out about 2S, 900, 600 or its equivalent in
-four, from the last crop. There is left,
understand, about $4,000, 600 bushels
,, to be moved between now and the next
harvest.
Take the Entire Western Crop.
"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
Washington wheat crop out of the
European markets. This will reduce
the amount going to Europe about 20
per cent, and in bushels about 3O,OO0,-
600, three times the quantity shipped
to Europe from the Argentine during
the past crop year. The prices of
wheat this year as compared with last
are about 20 to % cents higher, and
think it may be said that from Is to Is
cents of this rise is clearly due to the
withdrawal Of all the Pacific wheat
from European markets. I see in the
market reports telegram that Euro.
pean ships are loading with barley, rye
and merchandise, from San Francisco
to Europe, after waiting four months
for cargoes of wheat, and that no more
wheat will go to Europe from the
Pacific coast. The only way we could
bring about this great reduction in the
cost Of transportation of flour to Asia
was by diverting the tea and mating
business which has heretofore gone
mainly on English ships from Asia t.
New York, and bringing these com
modities to the Pacific coast
and by a low rate of transporta
ton inland by rail to distribute
the commodities to points betweel
Minnesota and New York. l hav'
given you the dstails so that you will
understand the situation, and be abl
to see that unless these ships can brin
their main cargoes of merchandise t.
the Pacific ports, at rates that will com
pensate them for the traffic, the bust
ness must go as heretofore, to Ne,
York, and the rates on -four to Asiati
ports will be again at the old figur
rel, which would, in my judgment, de
stroy the business that has just begu
to be built up with that country. Th
province of Annoy alone, which is nea
the coast, contains over $4,000, 900 {
people, and at 20 pounds of -four pe
capita per annum, would consume th
= prodcct of 40. 600. .OOO bush hels of whea
n The large districts of Tien- Tsin an
e Shanghai, both easily accessible frol
R the sea, would consume about as muc
more>as soon as the trade can be full