The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-30

raw and manufactured cotton Of the
South, and we may reasonably look for
| ward to the time when the demand OF
| Eastern Asia will absorb the surplus sup
ply OF the Souths great staple. They want,
also. the manufactured iron and steel and
the miscellaneous products Of the North
and East, together with unlimited guam
titles OF petroleum.; and there Is no
reason why there should not DO evolved
among the hundreds of millions in
| dian meal, the great staple Of the
| Central West, such as has been created for
wheat -four. The following facts are cited
| to prove that there is nothing visionary In
| the forecast Not long ago IL was asserted
| by trade experts that wheat flour would
never be accepted In large quantities by the
Chinese. As a matter OF fact the shipments
from Portland, Oregon, alone to Hong
Kong have increased 1000 per cent. in
the last ten years. and, coupled with those
OF San Francisco and the Puget Sound
ports, now amount to many millions OF
dollars per annum. When we consider
how small fraction OF China's millions
have begun to use wheat -four we cannot
easily place limit upon the future de-
mand for that article.
Scarcely less noteworthy is the develop
ment OF the market for American cotton
goods In north China. Mr.. BARRETT says
that, when he first visited New-Chwang, the
gateway to Manchuria, our share OF the
imports was not over 10 per cent; at the
time OF his last visit 1t was more than so
per cent, and the proportion was increas-
ing daily. The northern provinces Of
China now consume $1,000, 600 worth OF
our cottons. and there Is no valid reason
why they should not, ten years hence, take
$40, 900 900 worth. Only very few years
ago So, 900, 900 represented the total value
OF this trade.
Mr.. BARRETT says that but few people on
the Atlantic seaboard recognize the enor-
nous volume OF the business that Is now
transacted up and down the Asiatic coast
OF the Pacific. 1t amounts to a billion dol
lars in gold per annum, and represents the
output and intake Of half billion human
beings. or this aggregate, the imports
constitute over one-half. China's trade
alone amounts to a quarter Of a billion
dollars, and, IL her wants should ever ex-
pand as have those Of Japan and other
SOuillltb lTOuu InclE hbldJlC leIll-
argy. the value of her commerce would be
more than doubled. Mr.. BARRETT does not
mean to aver that these figures will neces-
sarily be attained during the lifetime OF
the present generation, but there Is good
ground for believing that they will be
reached before the first half OF the twen-
tleth century has expired
How are we to assure to ourselves the
share of the future trade OF the Far East to
which our productive capacity and our
geographical position entitle us2 BY in
sisting that, to whatever lengths the pro-
cess of disintegrat!on shall be carried
through the apportionment Of spheres OF
influence" our old treaty rights conceded
by the Middle Kingdom shall be conserved
in new form by the powers controlling
the partitioned sections.
To that end the exercise OF moral and
material influence will be required, and that
influence will be ours, so long as we retain
the Philippines.