The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-15
OUR TRADE WITH CHINA.
Secretary Day Thinks There Is n
Chance to Increase 1t.

WASHINGTON, June 14.-Secretary of
State Day has sent to the House a recon-
mendation for an appropriation of $4,000 to
create a commission to investigate CONNER
cial conditions in China affecting our ex-
port trade and calling special attention to
the movement of the three powers in that
direction. His letter says in part;
THE export trade of the United States is
undergoing a transformation which prom
Uses to profoundly influence the whole eco
nomic future of the country. AS is well
known the United States has reached fore
most rank among industrial nations. For
number of years its position as the greatest
producer of manufactures as well as OF raw
products has been undisputed, but, absorbed
in its own internal development and salts
fed for the time being with the enormous
home market of 100000 people. it has I'M
til recently devoted but little concerted eff
fort to the sale of it's manufactures outside
of it's own borders. The reports of our dip
lomatic and consular officers show that
many lines of American manufacture, nota-
bly, machinery. electrical apparatus, hard
ware bicycles and various other manufac-
lures of iron and steel leather, furniture,
etc, already have been introduced into Eu-
Topean countries of long established lnduS-
trial pre-eminence, and are nnding ready
sale in comparison with their own home
products With intelligent and systematic
action of our manufacturers and exporters,
the United States has unfolded to 1t vast
regions as yet unopened to the full activity
of commerce. The sending abroad of COM
missions of commercial and industrial eX-
perts to study actual conditions in promiS-
ing markets seems to be a subject which
should Immediately engage the attention OF
Congress- Occasion has arisen for some
thing more than sporadic effort Besides
the great commercial domain of the south
ern half of the western hemisphere, there
md
the far East.
rivalry of the European powers in OBTAIN
ing the largest possible spheres of influence
there and says the United States has I'M
portant interests at stake IN the partition
likely to offer developing markets Tor lts
goods Nowhere" he continues, lis this
considered of more interest than in its rela-
ton to the Chinese empire. Three great
European powers have established them
selves at points of vantage in that empire
which will enable them to exercise direct
influence on it's commercial destiny. The
United States, though 1t has made no ac-
auiston of Chinese territory, is in a position
to invite the most favorable concessions to
its industries and trade. Inasmuch as our
commercial relations with China are al
ready most friendly and as the existing
trade between the United States and China
is in actual process of development 1t
would to be clear that the present
is a golden opportunity for charging the
channels of commercial intercourse with the
empire From the best information obtain
able the total trade of the United States
with China approximates $3o,CC0.CJJ Not
only in China: but in contiguous posses
sions of Russia, the markets of American
products seem capable of easy enlargement.
The general advance of American products
in the estimation of China is the more graf
flying in view of the redoubled efforts on
the part of European nations to obtain
larger share of the trade.