Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-25
AMERICAN EXPORT TRADE
It's Increase an argument for Subsidy
Bill.
Claim That Goods Should BE Carried
in sSSselS Sailing Under the
Stars and Stripes.

tchgI essmen who are urging the passage
of a subsidy bill In aid of the American
merchant marine are very much interested
in the figures published by the bureau of
statistics showing the prosperous condi-
ton of the American export trade. The
year which IS now drawing to close has
been a notable one for the American manu-
facturer, as shown by government statls-
tics of The volume Of export business.
1t is apparent to those who are following
the subject, however, that the future holds
out promises OF sui greater prosperity for
the American manufacturer and the
farmer. The several commercial treaties
" hich have been concluded and which are
now pending: the prospect Of an extension
of trade relations In the West Indies,
through our recent acquisitions there; the
certainty Of a vast increase of business in
the Philippines all make TO the same end.
The Chinese Trade.
Added to this is the reasonable surety of
the United States of securing a portion Of
the Chinese trade which is to follow the
opening up of territory in that country
and the division of its commerce among
the nations of the earth 1t is believed that
within the next decade the export trade
with China and Japan will reach a figure
which cannot even be estimated at this
time.
There are now pending in the Senate,
awaiting ratification, several reciprocity
by MIR. John A kasson. the reciprocity
commissioner appointed by President Me
kinley under authority granted by the
Dingiey tariff act The most important
is the treaty with France.
Treaty with France.
This treaty names between 100 and 500
articles of American manufacture or pro-
TO Ia. cd int INra, "a
at a reduced rate of duty from the duties
which now apply. In many cases, the
French tariff is so high as to practically
prohibit some of the classes of goods made
in this country. With the reduction pro-
posed by the treaty, the American manu-
facturer would have an equal opportunity
with Others and taking into account the
and the skill of the mechanics, it is fair TO
assume that the American goods may
eventually dominate the market.
1t is claimed in behalf of the treaty, from
the American viewpoint, that it will admit
into France not only staple articles, now
in demand, but other articles which, al
though not 50 much in use now, will come
into more general use, and that in this
way the American trade will be extended
along lines where it is now weak.
Argument for q Subsidy Bill.
The certainty of the rapid and valuable
extension of American trade with foreign
countries is being utilized by the advocates
of the subsidy bill as an argument IN
favor of its passage. They say that this
volume of traffic should be transported in
American vessels, employing American
crews and sailing under the Stars and
Stripes.
1t is pointed out that foreign ship own
ers are even now preparing to take ad-
vantage of the great movement of freight
from these shores in the next few years,
anG that the tramp freight steamships of
all nations now lying idle in dock, will be
rehabilitated and sent westward across the
Atlantic to skim the cream of the traffic,
unless the Americans forestall them by
supplying merchant marine of their own.