Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-01-14
OUR TRADE WITH SIAM.
Glance for American Competition
With Old World Interests.
Compendium Issued BY Philadelphia CONNER.
cial Museum Shows Investors TO be slow
ia Seizins Opportunities.

The Philadelphia Commercial Mn.
scum has just promulgated a valuable
compendium Of facts gathered through
its special channels Of information
touching American trade with siam
The museum is an institution main.
tanned by public appropriations ana
operated under the guidance of an in
,ernational advisory board made up of
leading chambers of commerce and
commercial organizations throughout
this and other countries. Its object is
TO aid in the building up of the foreign
trade of America. Through it's agents
comes the information that never N
the history of the far East has there
been so much commercial activity as
at the present time. On this topic tho
report just issued says:
..On every side business operations
are being extended; the cities are
growing with wonderful rapidity. ana.
with few exceptions. the exports and
imports of each year show marked in
crease. European governments, firms
and steamship lines are watching every
mort of the Pacific coast from Vladi-
yostock to Singapore as never before
In contrast to this, American houses
and steamship lines are making bu;
little effort to get Il better foothold. 1t
should. however. be remembered that
there is no better field for extension of
American trade than the Far East. It's
present Importance is evidently not
appreciated in the United States. With
proper effort our country could hav"
four times its present bulk of trade.
but the effort should be made at once.
The next few years promise to be inn
portant.
The chief mistake is the failure to
send competent representatives Of
business houses to the Far East. What
is wanted is men of tact, experience
education and gentlemanly bearing,
masters of the business they represent,
so that buyers can obtain from them
every variety Of data covering prices
quality details of manufacture. freight
charges. time of shipment. etc. Where
one American traveller visited Asiati.
ports in 1897. ten came from Europe,
and the orders given were in cores.
ponding proportion. Every buyer iii
the Far East welcomes capabl'
American trade agent, and will at least
hear what he has to say. There is 4
remarkable unanimity in the opinion
that the extension of commerce with
the United States is greatly hampered
by this lack of competent and re-
sponsible representatives.
The East Asiatic markets doubtless
have great future before them. If
we consider that some Asiatic coun-
tries import far larger quantities of
manufactured goods than Mexico,
Central and South America together, it
will be understood that such important
fields should not be overlooked or con-
stantly neglected. AS already men
toned the Far East is at present at
tracting more attention than ever be-
fore. Germany has gained a footholl
in China, and. with the well known
energy OF German traders have de-
veloped in their transactions all over
the world. there is every reason to
suppose that they will exert them
selves to the utmost to gain still
frmer foothold in the East.
THE completion of the Great Sibe-
rian Railway will vastly increase Rus
sa's power on the Pacific. The ter
mini of this great railway. Vladi-
vostock and Port Arthur will become
leading trade centres on the Pacific
ocean.
'Japan's industries are we'll under
way, and there is no doubt that this
country will play an increasingly I'M
portant part in the Asiatic trade.
During the past few years CONNER
cial and technical commissions have
been sent to the Far East by all lead
ing European nations to study the re-
qurements of the markets and the
conditions governing the trade ii
eastern Asia.
IF the Eastern question be settled
in accordance with the apparent
wishes of the country. there is every
reason to suppose that American trad
interests will be considerably fur
thered and that the Importance of thu
Far East to our manufacturers VIII pf
materially increased"
Although they are still in their in
fancy. the commerce and industry IL
most of the East Asiatic countries II
the foreign trade is reported to have
reached $500. 900. coo Touching Siam IL
particular, the volume of commerce
while not so large as that of othel
Asatic markets. offers many oppor
.unities for American trade. A crltica
period Is approaching anu 80
viii determine the control OF I'M
Siamese foreign trade. Siam Is as Ia
ahead of Korea in progress as Japan i
ahead of China. After Japan. II i
more open to new ideas than any o'he
Asatic nation. Among other 1acts
to the political and business status
Siam. it may be stated that the eN
.penditure of the country is much les
than the receipts. and there Is no pun
lie debt. Bangkok, the capltal
Siam is one of the largest ana mos
important cities of Asia with popu
lation of from 500, GOO to S0O,0Oo. Mooef
electrical inventions are in use there
The climate of Siam is hot. but not un
he ilthy. The fauna resembles 'ha'
India. Thibet and China.
Agriculture is carried on in the MOS
d primitive style. -
The greater portion of Siam Is "a r ~,
alluvial plain. extensively Watereu y! ~,
ers and intersecting canals, Whicn sei y
the double purpose of providing I u.s" ~
Transportation and irrigation. WITH ~ ~
rich. fertile and loamy soil OF tle : o,it
part of the country much iarBel -
walton could be had If the oWners Nv
more careful of their farms. " ME 40" ~
the main streams and the prlnclp'ii loo ,
nails there is no unused land yet oIi i.a
ing for points in the interior. laIss az"
are found Incultiyated. The cultlNdtUi