The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-03
The Russian Market.

In estimating the future possibilities
of American trade with the Orient, II
D China, Japan and the Philippines
which are held in mind most frequsnt-
". There are the teeming millions
whose new wants we are to supply; and
the magnitude Of the opportunity has
not been exaggerated. But there 10 am
other market across the Pacific. to
which less attention has been directed.
that h scarcely inferior IN promise. The
place already occupied by this country
In the foreign commerce Of Russia r.
considerable. The trade that il to grow
from this beginning can hardly be esti-
mated
The story Of the introduction Of Amer
lean tools and machinery into Asiatic
Russia reads like . romance. A few
years ago an adventurous American
representative OF several large concerns
penetrated the interior and gained .
trial for his wares from the builders
\ Of the trans-slberian railway. Today
II - reported that IS per cent. OF the
amount 10 be expended abroad for the
supplies to complete that line will come
to the United states. In old Russia and
In new We have strong hold on the
market. We control it both by the
frfendllneas Of the countries toward
each other and by the superior quality
Of our products. 1t is great Industrial
CONQUEST.
1t Ii from the reports Of British con-
suls at the principal Russian cities that
we make up the record. They do not
favor us or enjoy the triumphs Of .
rival But they are bound to state
facts. and they confess that the fur
nlshins OF agricultural machinery IL en-
tirely in our hands: that American
bicycles hold the market; that steam
pumps and improved machine tools are
OF American introduction, and in gen.
eraI that ''the strides that American
trade il making are startlingly appar-
emit In all the foreign trade" With ex-
ports from the United States to Rus
STA increasing from 32,447.414 in 1898 to
s10.02s, 7ss in 1899. the lugubrious con-
fession Of our rivals is fully warranted.
II this IL the condition in the older
western portion of the vast empire, on
its eastern and Pacific front we have
no rival that can stand against US. We
do not meet the tremendous handicap Of
freight rates to European Russia as
compared with the manufacturers Of
England and Germany. From vladivo-
stok westward they cannot compete
with us at all. For we have but to
transport our goods across the Pacific.
as against the tremendous voyage from
Europe by way of the Suez canal. or the
prohibitive tariffs Of the Siberian
railway when It shall have been COM
pleted.
Every word of the statement written
to the San Francisco chamber Of COM
merce by Mr.. William M. Bunker should
be studied by the merchants Of Seattle
and by the railroad companies that
gather here and the Eastern centers
with which they connect US. For here
IL another mighty empire whose trade
belongs almost wholly to us. The &C.
cupation OF Northern China by Russia
and the completion of her great rail-
road mean a marvellous addition to our
markets. The people are pushing east
ward over the Siberian plains. But
what they need aside from the few prod
ucts of their own soil will be obtained
from the United States. For this. San
Francisco Is far inferior to Seattle as
point of supply. We can wrest this
trade from any competitor. 1t belongs
to us. No wonder that america is en-
Wed by the countries dealing CONNER
ciaily with Russia" Ten years from
row the markets OF Asiatic Russia will
be more important to US than those Of
any country In Europe. One glance at