Washington sentinel., 1898-08-13

British textiles has been noted,
but most OF those commenting on
the subject have assumed that the
chiet danger to be apprehended,
so tar as English textile trade with
China is concerned, would arise
from the rapidly developing COM
petition OF Japan. 1t is true that
some OF the English consular rep
resentatIves have at various times
made reference to the encroach-
ments of the Americans, but their
apprehension of trouble from this
quarter was subordinated to their
fear OF the new competitor above
alluded TO.
1t is likely that the official re-
port OF the Chinese inspector OF
customs may cause the British
manufacturer to think that they
have more to fear from our COM
petition than that Of the dreaded
Orientals. 1t shows that Ameri-
can exports OF cotton piece goods
to China have considerably in
creased, while those from other
countries have fallen off, Accord
ing to the returns referred to, the
imports Of English sheetings into
China fell from I,oI9,9oI pieces IN
I 500 to $50, 500 pieces IN 1897;
those from India from I56,7oo
pieces to %, 100. During the same
period the imports Of American
sheetings increased from 2,25I 600
to 2,4I8,o7I pieces. The same
story is related of cotton drills,the
English imports declining from
I3a,37z pieces IN 1896 to 76,2o2
pieces in 1897; Indian drills from
39,775 pieces to II, s43 pieces, while
the imports Of American cotton
drills increased from I,226,759 to
1881, ,647 in 1897. The Dutch and
the Japanese are not much more
fortunate, their exports of cotton
drills to China declining in as
great a ratio as those OF the British.
The remarkable feature presented
by the returns is that, while they
show a marked falling off in the
total OF cotton goods imported into
China, decided increase ofimports
from the United States is eXhib-
tied.
These facts and figures will
doubtless draw fourth fro m the edi-
tors of British trade journals the
usual amount of comment, wise
and unwise. Their FIRST impulse
will be to attribute the strength
ening of oUr position to the over
production ci the American cotton
mills, and this will breed the hope
that the competition cannot be
maintained for any considerable
period. But this idea is certain to
prove as delusive as was the ex-
pectation that the exports of steel
and iron would cease as soon as
the United States had return OF
prosperity. 1t is now admitted by
competent English observers that
Americans are able to manufacture
iron and steel more cheaplY than
any other people, and it will soon
be recognized that in the cotton
textile industry we will be able to
hold our own against all competi-
tors.
The fact must not be lost sight
of, however, that transportation
facilities have played their part in
opening up to US the Chinese trade.
The existence of lines oi steamers
operating directly between Ameri-
can ports on the Pacific and Chin
eSe ports has been an important
factor. If we we're as well pro-
vided with direct lines to Central
and South American ports as we
are with facilities to reach China,
there would soon be a different
story to tell about our trade with
Latin America. We have cheap
goods Of superior quality to sell;
all we need now are our own ocean
carriers to distribute them. II
Congress fails to take cognizance
of this fact in passing the neces-
sary laws to promote our carrying
trade, it will be criminally negli-
gent.-ALbaNT Times.