Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-04-27
Commerce Between Orient
and America.
DISCUSSED BY MINISTER
How the United States Can Profit 10y
Open Door and How Exporters Are
Being Injured-Should Follow the
English Example.

Boston, April Elm his speech at the
banquet of the National Association OF
Manufacturers last night WI Ting Fang,
the Chinese minister, said: -
That the trade of his country with
China has been rapidly increased with
in the last few years is borne out by the
statistics published every year. but it is
not generally known and it is, a fact
| which should be remembered that our
merchants are the only exporters of your
goods to hin Take for instance the
case of flour All that is sent to China
is Dor order fret received at the mills
in this country. This shows you clearly
the Importance and necessity of allowing
he Chinese merchants and traders to
have free inc friendly intercourse with
the manufacturers and merchants in
this country.
IF Chinese merchants could come more
freely to this country and see how things
are done in your business establishments
it would certainly give them a better
idea of American enterprise and ener-
for American methods. They could also
see many things which are new to them,
ascertain their utility n their uses and
would then purchase them. I am COM
PEELED to say, and I say it with great re-
luctance, hat no such facilities are af-
forded to Chinese customers to come to
this country. American manufacturers
may have agents in China to sell their
goods. But Chinese. merchants certain
ly ought to know best what is most suit
able for their home markets. If they
could enter this country without unnec-
essary restrictions they might be in a
better position to select not only what
they came to buy, but also carry nome
with them a great many things which
they had no intention of buying at the
outset. 1t seems to me that self-interest
alone ought to point u the best course
for the Americans to follow. If o
should wish to increase your trade with
China every obstacle in the way to free
intercourse between the two countries
SHOULD be removed. AS the progress Of
civilization has levelled one natural har-
rier after another in order that the oeo-
Piles of the earth may be drawn together
into closer relations, it is certainly con-
trary to the spirit of the times to erect
artificial ones by means of hostile leg
iSlation.
with a growing between
China. and the United States the lues-
ton of transportation will no doub come
more and more to the front. In days not
very long past the American flag was a
common sight among the shipping of
Hong Kong and other Chinese ports.
Now it is conspicuous by it's Absence. If
Americans are to make good their claim
to a due share of the commercial advan-
tages in China, it is essential that they
should revive their carrying trade on
Chinese waters. | nave been informed
that more goods have been offered of
late to the steamship companies at San
Francisco than they car possibly carry
with the limited facilities at their COM
mand The result is that the freight
rates to the Orient have taken a sharp
rise. The exports from the eastern
states cannot but be injuriously affected.
IF an Istmian canal We're in operation.
connecting the waters of the Atlantic
with those of the Pacific, sucl conges-
ton of traffic at any point on the Pacific
coast would be at once relieved. Rut,
unfortunately. the day is still far dis
tant when steamers can pass from ocean
to ocean across .he Central American
isthmus. In the meanwhile the time and
tide of trade tai<y for no nan. demand
for American goods continues to pour in
from the east. Without adequate trans
portation facilities how is il to he met?
After due inquiry l find that Americans
do not control a singie line u steamers
plying between New York and Shanghai
by way of the Suez canal. [ hi, g no nes-
itation in saying that such Il line if es-
tablished, will contribute materially to
The expansion OF trade batw zen the two
countries. M. Goodnow, your consul
of freight from New YORK 10 China ard
japan, via e.uez, vary from >" shillings
6 pence to q shillinss 6 pence re, ton ot
forty cubic feet, against IS slllllings to 50
SHlillHSs charged Dy steamship owners
from london and Liv srpool to the same
destination. Thus it is apparent that
British steamship companies give pro-
fessional rates 20 american shi; t;w. The
English are noted for their ucut. iuslg-
ment in matters of business. If English
ship owners think it worth their while
for business reasons to offer cheaper
freight rates to American than to. I'm
glish shippers it is not to be supposed
that they cherish greater love for their
! American cousins than for their English
brethren. It is because they believe it
good business policy. Such being the
case. it seems strange that you enter
prising Americans should so far have
made no serious attempt to secure at
least a share of the profits arising from
carrying your own goods"