New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-09
TRADE WITH THE FAR EAST
GET IT?-SOME ASTONISHING
STATEMENTS

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir Much has Of late been written respect.
ing the Hawaiian and Philippine islands as
sources Of wealth to the United States I
think, therefore, your readers will be aston.
ished to learn that in commercial circles OF
New-Ycrk spirit Of self-denal exists which
bids fair to exclude this city. and the Eastern
States generally. from any considerable share
In the vast commerce now upon the point OF
being created by the gallant achievements Of
American soldiers and sailors
I make this observation in consequences OF An
interview had to-day with leading repre-
sentative Of a leading American transportation
company. My purpose in raising the discus.
sion was to point out how. by introducing Ger.
tain improveme ITS into the present system OF
handling freight 1t would be quite feasible to
convey merchandise between New-fork and
Hawaii via the Isthmus of Tehuartepec (where
railroad from ocean TO ocean already exists at
a cost, in money and time. less than Is esti-
mated to be necessary when the proposed Mica
raguan Canal route shall be available. | called
attention to the Anticipated methods still ad-
hered to OF. employing men TO do most OF the
work OF loading and unloading ships. and OF
constructing the holds Of ships In such man.
ner as positively to preclude the adoption Of
deduced the obvious co ,clusIons first. that II
mechanical appliances were substituted an
economy would be effected comparable TO what
has resulted in other departments Of industry
from similar improvements; and. secondly. that
the said economy would immeda tely enable the
Eastern States to capture the trade Of Hawaii
and the Philippines without waiting for the
Nicaraguan Canal. I furthermore urged that a
system Of cheap transport from the Atlantic
10 the Pacific would. IL in American hands. Sc
cure for the United States very large proper
ton Of the carrying trade Of the world
All this 1t seemed to me. automatic.
Judge then Of my surprise when my listener
a duly accredited mouthpiece OF the intelligence.
the enterprise and the progressive character Of
New-York commerce-gravely assured me that
| was completely mistaken In attrlbutng any
Importance to the trade prospects / had dis
cussed. He told that corporation. firm
or person in the Eastern States would make
any attempt TO enter into direct commercial re-
lations with the Hawaiian and Philippine
islands. and that Eastern merchants and manu.
facturers would remain content with such
crumbs as might fall from the tables OF their
masters in San Francisco--crumbs taking thu
shape Of such goods as might be ordered TO be
gent to California via the transccrtlnenta rail-
ing the completion Of competing factories on
tho Pacific Coast, 10 be built out of prohts
from Hawaii and the Philippines. And then.
coming TO the still more general features in.
yolved he informed me that any idea Of I'M
proving present methods ot handling freight
was but an idle dream. The existing system.
he declared. was virtually perfect.
asked him how long II now took 10 load
ship with one thousand tons OF miscellaneous
cargo He said II took three or four days. oper-
ating at five hatchways with force OF forty
or Atty men for each. replied that with proper
mechanical appliances the one thousand tons
could be loaded in twenty -four hours with
force Of twenty men, and l pointed out tnas
this single comparison proved all tnat had
urged His rejoinder was amazing. He declared
the more expeditions loading 10 be impossible.
because his own company had put the matter
to absolute proof. They gave their loading
work 10 master stevedores. who contracted Tor
II. and these men, interested though they were
in making as much profit as possible from inc
contracts found themselves unable TO WORK
with less manual labor and less time than ct
present. II in vain that pointed OUT row
The stevedores were hampered by the want OF
appliances and by the archaic dispositions CT
ships holds The mouthpiece OF intelligence con-
tinued to hold his fort Improvement: %hd IN
a system practised by US
In view Of what have narrated. hope YOU
will allow me TO suggest 10 those Of your read
ers who form part Of the business world OK
New-York that they would do sr"at public
service at the present junc.irs by sending you
their opinions as 10 the real value OF direct
commercial intercourse between the Eastern
States and the lands OF the far Pacific. Not
only would such views be OF utility in aiding
the President and his Cabinet to formulate
wise policy with regard 10 the Philippines. bit
they will also have important bcariag Upon
the question OF the Nicaraguan Canal
STEPHEN H. EMMENS.
New-York. August 4. lS.S.