The age-herald., 1898-05-15

portunity awaits the south in the far east, and yet 1t is an opportunity appreciated or improved by few. It is so great, important and manifest on consideration that am not afraid to contend that the south has as vital interest in the commerce and trade of trans-Paciic lands as the north and east. and even the far west.
 After Cuba and Klondike. the far east to- day attracts the worlds attention, but 1t has riches in store for the south that Cuba and Klondike combined can never give her.
 The far east wants the south's cotton; 1t wants it now, and 1t will want 1t in in- creasing ratio every year; and it will take 1t, too, in such quantities as to add mil- lions of dollars to the souths income from her king staple, and so directly add to the prosperity of every southern state-pro- vided, only the south seizes the magnificent opportunity open to her, pushes the mar ket developes the demand, meets with fear less force the competition of Indian, Chin- csc and Egyptian cotton, insists on low through rail and water rates from the pro- ductive centers of the south to the ports of consumption across the Pacific, and final ly-and above all the grand considerations secures an all-water, unbroken-bulk route from the seaports of the cotton belt to those of manufacture in the far east, through a completed and open Nicaragua canall
 Reward Worthy of the Effort
 These conditionss may seem prohibitive Irdaad not to one who knows the stua- tion The prizes to be won by complying with these conditions and removing these obstacles are so plainly discoverable and SO extensively valuable that the south should lend her energies to their capture and for the conquest of the vast market before it is too late and other countries or sources of supply have won them and secured permanent control of the large and growing field of consumption.
 Asia's Millions Want Cotton
 Let us look at few facts: A portion or the world whose combined area is nearly b0O00O0 square miles, or 1,5O0,00O greater than the United States, has its chief bor- ders and only gateways of commerce on the trans-Pacfc seaboard, directly oppo- site our own Pacific shores; in these lands dwell 800 ,0OO human beings, number greater than that of all Europe and South America and five times the population or all North America; of these 5O0,OOO,OOo in- habtants, 4O0,000,O00 are cotton-cotneo' cotton-using people, and of the 5Uo'ooo square miles, 100000 are section of coun- try where cotton goods or products are used and always will be used more than all others combined, but where not over 100 900 square miles are suited to cotton cultivation and only little of the raw cotton is raised that is required to satisfy the demands of the entire population and area! Do not these facts suggest some- thing to the planters and exporters of Dixie?
 Establishment of MILLS
 One or two facts more: For years Japan. China and other far eastern lands have been importing the cotton yarns. cloth, clothing. etc., used (and they will go on importing in great quantities, because the demand is increasing rapldly); But now they are realizing that, if they obtain the raw product, they can make part of the finished product themselves; almost as if by magic. 100 mills have gone up in Japan and 20 in China, and more are being con- structed or planned; all the Japanese mills and majority of the Chinese import their raw cotton; the greater portion of the raw cotton used now and of that which will be used in the future should come from the south, and would come if the con- ditons already outlined were followed; the fact that some does come now proves that more could come for after having person. ally visited nearly every mill and met near ly every manager in Japan and China I can state that those managers expressed to me a preference for American cotton over the Indian, Chinese or Egyptian prod uct and a desire to purchase it, provided 1t could be laid down at their doors within B reasonable margin of the amount paid for other cotton, because there Is a greater demand for the finished product of Ameri- can cotton, and the latter manufactures better and more easily, but freight rates are against the American supply, and In- dian, Chinese and Egyptian agents and factors push the market more than their American competitors!
 Adverse Transportation Charges So they want the south's cotton. Why not give it to them? True, a few mills use 1t, but they cater to a special market that will pay the extra price, but all markets would buy If the cheaper prices were grant, l ed, and which would be given if that mar gin were taken off which is caused by l transportation charges. The San Francisco | wharves were blocked for few weeks with l cotton that could not be carried for want | of room. That was only passing incident. l The demand should be great that they | would be blocked all the time or the fleet | of carriers increased. Let, then. the plant CTS and exporters of the south combine to | obtain the low through rates needed and, | If necessary, urge the steamship companies to provide increased facilities.
 The Most Important Consideration Another fact, and the final and most im- | portant one. if the Nicarauga canal were dug and in operation the whole problem | would be solved mighty fleet of steam carriers would immediately commence to | ply between our southern ports and those of the far east and the cost of transpor-