The record-union., 1899-01-25
A Conference Of the National Asso-
citation at Cincinnati,
At Which There Are Over a Thousand Dele
gates In Attendance.

Everything Done at the First
Days Session-An Able and In
teresting Paper Read by Presi-
dent Search.
CINCINNATI, Jan. 24.-There were
over 1000 prominent manufacturers of
the country present at the fourth an
nual convention here to-day. While
the morning and afternoon sessions to-
day We're devoted mostly to hearing
the annual reports of officers and COM
mittees, yet the spirit of expansion per-
vaded everything that was done, in
GLIDING a future policy of increasing
the membership of the National Manu-
featuring Association during the closing
year of the century to at least 5000,
and providing such a fund in it's treas
ury as to make it most potential
factor in the extension of foreign trade,
as well as in American interests, in
Guiding the new possessions of this
country.
Thomas P. Eagan, as Chairman of
the Committee on Arrangements, pre-
sided during the welcome addresses.
President Search was very happy in
his response, referring to the birth of
the association here and its wonderful
expansion since that time. There
seemed to be a spirit of expansion
through all the addresses.
w. B. Mellish, Chairman of the Com
mittee on Entertainment, in his an
nouncement, made numerous hits on
expansion.
Thomas McDougall, on behalf of the
Cincinnati members of the association,
presented President Search a fine gavel
made from different woods of the new
possessions in the West Indies, and
again expansion was elaborated on. In
accepting the gavel President Search
made hit on the prevailing topic.
After the preliminary speeches Presi-'
dent Search read his annual address,
and it was referred to the appropriate
committees President Search's report
was in part:
within the brief space of a single
year our nation has been thrust sud
denly into war, and as the result there
of has been called upon to face prob
lens involving entirely new elements in
our political organization. Our war with
Spain is at an end, the wrongs of an
oppressed people have been righted, but
our task, instead of being completed, is
only just begun.
What shall be done with our new
found possessions is the problem that
now presses forward for solution. With
the exception of Cuba, with whose con-
ditions we are measurably familiar the
commercial value of our newly ac-
quired colonies is fully conjectural.
Viewing the matter from purely COM
mercial standpoint, our business inter-
ests have been enormously the gamers
by the American administration of af-
fairs in the island, whatever may be
the future disposition of these people
and their land In a lesser degree the
statement applies equally well to the
island of Porto Rico.
I'm the far Pacific, however, this is
a serious problem which successful con-
quest has thrust upon us. The Philip
pines, with their ten millions of peo-
pie, have offered a meager market for
American goods. While buying from
them about $5,O00.OO0 worth of their
products, we have been able to sell to
them less than twentieth part of that
value. From all accounts the Philip
pines are as rich in resources as the
West Indies, but lacking in develop
ment and deficient in purchasing and
consuming capacities. So vast an area,
however, and SO great a population of
fer possibilities of which the present
conditions afford no indications; and
there are those familiar with both sides
of this problem who do not hesitate to
declare that from a purely commercial
standpoint the Philippines are bound to
become not far hence of more conse-
quence than the West Indies Be this
as it may, it still seems apparent that
there is in the Philippines opportunity
for a very large increase of our present
commerce.
Without attempting to express an
opinion on the wisdom or expediency
of the policy of territorial expansion,
I feel moved to remark in passing that
this nation is not accustomed to fail
in anything that it undertakes.
"The great foreign trade movement,
which received it's most powerful i'm
petus three years ago. continues with
unabated activity. Again the statistics
of our exports record the largest vol
ume of foreign business that has ever
been transacted The exports for the
year ending June 3, 1898, reached the
total of 1910. 292 OG7, q gain of SITS
100000 over the previous year. The
exports of American manufactures in
the last fiscal year amounted to $685.
81, 449, a total greater by twelve and
one half millions than ever previously
recorded.
''While many factors have contri
buted to this great expansion of our
foreign trade, probably no influence
has been more noted than the efforts
of the manufacturers of the United
States. Individually and by united ac-
ton they have worked persistently in
the development of their foreign trade,
and have pushed their products into
many markets where heretofore they
had been unknown. BY their untiring
energy. persistence and honest dealings,
the manufacturers of the United States
have acquired position in the worlds
markets from which they cannot be dis
lodged. With the start that has been
made, our foreign trade is bound to
grow. and no opposition from our
strongest competitors can bar our pro-
gress.
ut is exceedingly gratifying to find
that business conditions have under
gone marked change during the past
year. With the exception of few in
dustries affected by peculiar condi-
lions, the manufacturing interests of !.