The Saint Paul globe., 1899-07-09
OUR TRADE WITH CHINA.

While the American mind has been occupied more
or less fully for years past by the subject Of
present and future trade with the vast empire
of China it may be truly said that there exists gem
orally the most extreme ignorance among us of the
facts, well as the possibilities. of that trade.
Moreover, it remains true that while we have de-
cded for ourselves that there is grand future for
trade in the Orient we have DONE and are do
ing absolutely nothing whatever to secure true
participation in that trade, aside from what is being
done through the efforts of few of enter
prising merchants and manufacturers We play
ing the role of sort of commercial subordinate to
England, far at least the statistics of China
trade would Indicate
A review of the annual report of Mr. Taylor sta
tistical secretary of customs at the British port of
Shanghai the trade Of China for the year 1898
recently been submitted to the state department
which gives many interesting data of foreign trade
with the empire 'It shows very effectively the tr.-
mendOus Importance Of American interests in that
vast empire The total volume of Chinese trade last
year reached the remarkable figures of $225 $780,
according to the document mentioned while the I'm
ports of China during the past twelve years
creased more than 145 per cent Yet, remarkable to
relate shipping entries from foreign ports credit us
with just 1 per cent Of the whole, while that of
Britain was 81 per cent. While this is due in some
measure to the fact that all shipments made from
our Atlantic ports by way Of England credited to
that country i'll the Statistics the fact remains that
we are so utterly blind to national and COM
mercia interests that this like Of our foreign
shipping is done i'll foreign and mostly English bot
toms.
Even with the difficulties which beset us through
our own short-sighted folly we have reason to con-
gratulae ourselves in certain directions While for
instance in 1895 England sold five times what we
did in 1898 her sales were accredited only twice
great And more significant still, the
figures show that all those powers who have been
busiy engaged in parceling up Chinese territory
among themselves have suffered severe losses In
trade while Japan and the United States have
gained American oil gained nearly 100000 gal
Ions while Russian oils show loss of 100000
gallons. Our consul at Chefoo Mr.. Fowler presents
the very gratifying conclusion that nearly one-haf
of the increase of imports into China have come
from this country, while no other country shows
marked decrease i'll its purchases from China. In
sheetng goods we have driven the Dutch and Jap
from the market by the superiority and cheap
of products. White and refined sugar and
American flour are being bought more freely, which
indicates increased ability among the Chinese buy
luxuries
Statistics accompanying the report of Mr.. Taylor
show that in the value of imports into China in the
years 1S979S the United States stands alone in the
column of grains 1t exceeded by II 100000 taeS
the value of its sales in 1895 while Great Britain has
lost quite 100000 taels In value since 1896 The
value United States sales exceeded by $41T1,
934 the combined sales of all Europe and all the
Russias
One day we may wake up to our duty toward
ourselves in connection with this broad field of
mercial growth We surely cannot be expected to
maintain our present policy Of inaction while for
eign nations putting forward every effort to
troll the trade of China. We enjoy advantages of
geographical position greater than any of com
petiters save Russia and Japan What we have been
able do has been done in the face of discourage
ments which would demoralize any other