The Anaconda standard., 1899-06-11
Commerce With China.

been the address of John Barrett, late
minister to Siam, on the subject of
American trade in the Orient. The
speaker presented a glowing picture of
the possibilities in store for us through
the complete opening of China to the
trade of the world. IT, said Mr.. Bar
rett, "the Philippines with their popu-
lation of 100000 and area of 115,000
square miles are an inviting field
China with her population of $50, 900, 900
and area of over 1000 600 square miles
is far more So" Then he gives figures
showing the amount of Chinas COM
merce, and what a prize it would be
if we could secure the major part"
of it.
Mr.. Barrett shows that the commerce
of China amounts to $3.50, 900, 900 in gold
annually and, with open door, should
soon increase to $3.50, 900, 900, while, with
the other Asiatic countries added, it
will make an aggregate of .nearly
$1,000,00o,000. He makes a special plea
on behalf of California, Washington
and Oregon, and urges the East not
to stand in the way of the splendid
possibilities OF these Pacific states.
IT is proper for US to try, in a legiti-
mate way, to enlarge our trade with
China and with all other countries, to
the fullest extent that will be profit
able for us. But it is we'll, moving eau.
tiously in all such matters, not to be
carried off our feet by glitterng tables
of figures. If our trade with the Phil
ippines or with China, for example,
should consist almost entirely of pur-
chases from them, the great advantage
of largely increasing it may we'll be
doubted. Certainly it would not be
good policy to force it.
China is an exceedingly poor coun-
try. The bulk of her immense popula-
ton is stepped in poverty and has no
equal anywhere in the art of doing the
largest amount Of work at a minimum
of expense. The average Chinaman
working at from five to ten cents
day will not and cannot be a heavy
purchaser of the products of the Amer
lean factory or farm. So far as the
| common necessaries of life are con-
cerned, there is no question that those
people will supply themselves with the
| products of their own labor, because
| they can do it very much more cheaply
| than we can.
With an open door, we would doubt
| less sell to the Chinese considerable
quantities of machinery and those sup
plies that are, essential in. the prelimi-
nary work of developing the country
| These however, are merely intended to
enable them to produce for themselves
| what they need and ultimately to make
them Independent of other countries.
| We have a notable instance of this in
the recent industrial awakening and
undermining of Japan. The Chinese are
| even more initiative than the japanese
and outnumber the latter perhaps ten
to one.
Under these circumstances 1t is by
no means impossible that Chinese COM
petition might present a most serious
problem for us to deal with. Between
| 1873 and 1898 India and Japan together
| came very near destroying England's
export trade in cotton yarns, merely
because they could produce those art
icles more cheaply than could be done
in the Yorkshire mills. What can be
done in one class of goods may be done
in others. No American is disposed to
| throw obstacles in the way of legiti-
mate trade expansion in any quarter,
but it is always wise to be careful and
not take too much for granted.
Mr.. Barrett strongly urges that the
integrity Of the Chinese empire be
maintained, and asserts that America
is the "arbiter of China's future" That
is not so clear. OF course the main
tanning of a despotic government in
China is strictly in the line of 'impe-
rialism" properly understood, but it is
diametrically opposed to the policy
which is so stoutly advocated with ref
erence to the Philippines. In the latter
it is persistently claimed that we can
not get our just share of commercial
advantage otherwise than by assuming
| absolute soyereignty