The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-10-01


umated. Immense steamers laden with
all kinds Of merchandise there dis
charge their cargoes weekly in their
ports, In return they take our goods
In endless variety and ever-increasing
quantity. Personal intercourse with
the Chinese and Japanese merchants,
and with the officers of the vessels, as
well as the words of our own mer-
chants returning, give to those on the
western coast an acute realization of
the immense market waiting for Amer
lean producers to enter beyond the Pa
cific. There be some who would not in
crease our possessions in the east, but
where is the man who would not in
crease our commerce?
Can 1t be that there are those so dull
as not to see that navy at hand, ever
ready to support our commercial inter-
ests, Is one of the best agents to in
crease commerce that could be devised?
With our whole navy abolished the
present respect for the United States
as commercial nation would soon pass
away, and our present foreign trade
would be pilfered from US by a thou
sand hindrances, and we defenceless to
protect ourselves With possessions in
the Philippines, at the very door of Chi
ma and Japan. with coaling stations and
defended harbors or'our navy, our po-
sition to bid for trade against other ma
tons will be strengthened in an infinite
degree. Much. stress has been laid by
the anti-expansionists upon the cost of
keeping the Philippines in order when
once whipped, as they are surely going
to be. Bringing the counter entry into
the ledger when thus tall1ing on a cash
basis, 1t is believed by those best in
formed that the financial gain arising
from our trade with the Philippines
themselves and what through the moral
support of our navy firmly intrenched
there will come to us from China and
Japan will far outweigh the extra
annual cost of army and navy on this
score. Moreover, the loss of a few of
in an emergency with no land support
or even coaling station, would quickly
amount to the cost of their keeping for
years"
How about the Chinese in San Fran
cisco today?"
ut seems to me from all can learn,
the Chinese are making great strides
in the way of progress, and also into
the favor of many who have till now
opposed them bitterly. On the Fourth
of July the most attractive and re-
markable feature of the parade in the
streets Of San Francisco was the part
taken by the Chinese. Many carriages
were in line filled with celestials ar
rayed in garments of the finest silk,
richly embroidered, and sillSen banners
of rich and fanciful design were borne
aloft in endless variety. presenting a
most unique spectacle for even San
Francisco And all this was done as
token of respect for an American holi-
day by people who had little or no
personal interest in it by birth or ira
Ill 1f 10
for several days, and it was remarked
that they did not know the Chinese
possessed such good taste and inge-
nuity in display as their parade evil
denced Their general business seems
to be increasing. Chinatown is even
more thrifty than ever One of the
most remarkable men l met on the
present trip west was Ho Vow, the
imperial Chinese consul general He is
a brother-in-la% of Minister Fang, the
Chinese minister at Washington, and is
a most delightful and entertaining man
to meet. Speaking English fiuently,
with a vocabulary much wider and
more Discriminatory used than that
employed by most of US Americans, he
talked freely of China and the CONNER
cial needs of its millions of people. He
showed keen and active mind, and in
many respects seemed a bit Yankee
in his appreciation and grasp of trade
propositions.
"A scheme of his, boldly set forth
freely over his own name. is to organ
lie a company for the purpose of ex-
plotting American wares of all kinds
in Chinese markets. He states what
those who have looked into the matter
must know, that as China has but re-
Gently been opened to the world, and
that to but a slight degree as yet, the
market there has not even been
scratched by foreigners, and least of all
by Americans. He desires to establish in
each of the treaty ports of China about
twenty of the largest ssses-emporiums
for the exhibition of all kinds of Amer
lean manufactures. Here the local
Chinese merchants can come to exam
inc wares as one would see them at
the Mechanics fair in Boston. Circulars
describing same would be printed in
Chinese for free distribution, and suit
able agents would be on hand to ex-
plain the wares either directly or
through an interpreter to all Corners
To maintain these different expositions
and to pay for attendance, insurance,
ETC., he would charge the manufactur
ers placing their exhibits there a small
annual fee, and his company hand
somely capitalized and infuentially
backed, would assume responsibility
for the safe care of the wares.
1T would also act as agent in selling
same, on a fair commission. and be
authorized to collect and remit funds
to the vendors. Mr.. Vow told me the
plan was already we'll in hand, sup
ported by men of influence and means,
and that Senator Perkins of California
had manifested the liveliest interest in
1t and had favored him with valuable
suggestions relating thereto. In leav-
ing, Mr. Vow, in company with F. X.
Schoonmaker, who wrote and lectured
so efficiently in opposition to Is to
heresies and is now greatly interested
in Chinese and Japan subjects and CIV
ing lectures on the same in Oregon,
Washington and California, 1 could
well wish all the consuls of our country
might know the language of their re-
spective stations as Mr. Vow knows
English They might well emulate his
zeal moreover in increasing trade be-
tween the United States and the coun-
try to which they were sent.
81 have been one of those sent from
washington each year for three years
past to inventory the gold and silver
in the United States minis at San
Francisco and Carson City. In San
Francisco are about fifty-six millions
of dollars-about four millions being on
June 18th the last in gold and most
of the balance being silver dollars.
There is a small amount of subsidiary
silver also on hand-f1fties, quarters and
dimes. There is not piece of paper
money in the institution.
eat Carson City now United States
assay Office only as coming has been
discontinued, there are about five mil
lions in silver dollars All is counted
by weight, thousand dollars in a bag
at a time. At Frisco is always each
year more or less bullion, gold and sill
yer and ingots and Clippings, in pro-