Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-09-01
EXTEND OUR TRADE.
DIR. CoBBE POINTS OUT OPPOR-
TuNITrEs FOR MANUFACTURERS.
OUR MARKET TOO RESTRICTED.
Capacity for Production Outstrips
Consumption-PIans of the PhiIa-
dcIpbia Commercial Museum-In-
tcresting Facts and Figures.

DR.. Edmund Cobbe, of the Philadelphia
Commercial Museum, Is in the, city TO con-
fer with manufacturers and others who
are interested in the development Of the
export trade of this country. He arrived
Yesterday afternoon and is registered at
the Jefferson. To-day he will confer with
the local members OF the Museum, and
with the two gentlemen who represent
the Richmond Chamber of Commerce, on
the Advisory Board of that organization.
1 and will probably leave for the South to-
night.
DR.. Cobbe's mission is educative in part,
| for he comes with a vast fund Of inforina-
ton about the foreign markets, which is
more or less startling in character, ana
which is calculated to arouse the energies
OF the manufacturers to a wider field OF
endeavor. DR.. Cobbe says that in proper
ton TO the population Of Richmond, ana
TO the money invested, there are as many
subscribers 10 the Commercial Museum
here as in any city in the country.
OUR FOREIGN TRADE.
Speakipe on the question OF foreign
trade TO a Dispatch reporter yesterday,
DE- CObbe said: "The average manuldc-
turer is fully aware that the home mar
ket does not absorb his output as for
merly. but he does not seem to be IA
miliar with the data Of the situation. AS
a matter of fact our manufacturers coulu
produce goods for 100000 people ana
not work an extra hour IN the week; that
IS, they could supply about D,NJOOO more |
people than there are in the United !
States. The natural result of this is that |
one-thrd Of the enormous sum OF S9,OJO- |
100000 is idle all the time, and one-third |
of our labor is also idle. Taking these |
premises as approximately correct, the |
deduction is simple. In order TO furnish |
any real relief from that condition, it is |
necessary to sell at least Sl0O,0O0COO in |
the markets abroad, and to even up the |
conditions Of capital and labor 3,J00,GCO,OOJ |
must be sold outside the home market
"Our capacity for production increases
more rapidly than our capacity for con-
sumption thus compelling us TO seek
more extended trade relations with other
nations.
TO INTEREST FOREIGN BUYERS.
ct is the main purpose Of the Com
mercial Museum in a nutshell, to interest
buyers abroad in American goods. The
mature judgment of the experienced men
who belong TO the advisory board will
suggest plans from time to time for aid
ing in the task of finding American mar
kets abroad. but two or three concrete
ideas have been adopted, and of these
Mr.. CObbe talks interestingly one OF
these is the establishment and fostering
Of a much greater merchant marine as
well as banking facilities Another is an
mil It1t nj |
advertising on a gigantic scale in foreign
titles all American companies and cor
)orations that have goods suitable Tor
export
An international congress of commerce Z
Will be held i'm Philadelphia next June, /
when over thousand persons from all ,
larts of the world are expected to gather
o investigate American products. 6
DIR. Cobbe in further conversation, said:
We can sell TO Australia, in any one | ,
ear that we properly cultivate the trade,
bout 100000 Of cotton manufactured
foods in excess of our present trade.
MAY INCREASE THE TRADE.
Brazil and the Plata countries" he
aid. bought in the year 1896 about $33,-
10000 iron and steel products. of which
We sold less than 81 100000. We are en-
tiled with our present advantages IN !
production of such goods, to sell them II
east 70 per cent. or ten times as much !
is we did sell. The same year those !
ountries bought nearly 100000 of man
featured cotton goods; we sold them less
han Sl,700,0O0, while with our facilities J
We should have sold more than 60 per +
emit, or about $25 100000 In the two items /,
1e should have sold $j00OO.0OO. Instead of >
little more than &0OO00 In one year I
argentine bought food products to the {
alue Of $S,000O00. and we, the great food s
alton of the world. sold TO them SIG, 2S9
f preserved fish We sell almost nothing
I the South American States of the many
Kings we ought to sell there. yet in ten
ears We have paid about $1,000 600 i'm {
old. including ships, banks, insurance
TO London for her account