The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-08-09
FLOUR IN CHINA.

From the Oregon correspondent Of the
Northwestern Miller the Glob clips
the following:
The prospects of suspension Of the
-four trade with China continue to excite
considerable interest in Oregon. field
for trade which absorbed upwards of
100000 bbls of -four during the past
fiscal year is a big factor in the wheat
and flour situation on this coast, and the
threatened loss of all or a part of this
business, even though 1t be but tempo
rary, is not viewed without misgivings.
According to late adVices there was
something like 600 quarter sacks of
-four at Hongkong, and as the troubles
discourage reshipment of this stock to
the interior, it will hang as dead
weight on the Hongkong market for
many months before it is all consumed
or spoiled. Aside from the flour used
by Europeans, the shipments made from
the Pacific coast are used almost exclu-
sively as luxury. The greatest. de-
mand comes during the season of-festi-
walls and the flour is used for making
cakes by the classes who are moderately
well situated, while the poorer cousins
sprinkle little of it over their rice cakes
to add a taste of luxury to the affair.
The Chinese are not engaged in festivals
and merry making at present, and the
flour Of the Cursed foreigner" is ret
ting on Hongkong's docks. The steam
ship Braemar, sailing yesterday, took
out $1,000 bbls, of which 22,500 was for
Hongkong, most of 1t having been Or
dered previous to the disturbance The
remainder, with the exception Of 500 bar
rels for Manila, was for Japan ports.
Within the past few days a number of
orders have been received from Japan
presumably for the use of the warriors
who will draw their supplies from
Japan. This trade will help matters
some, but 1t is insignificant in comparf-
son with that of the teeming millions who
as yet individually use it so sparingIy
It is true that 100000 barrels in one
year is quite commencement for new
market, and If the Oriental trade should
keep up such increases of purchases of
Pacific coast flour it would be but a, few
years until the entire wheat crop of that
section of the United States would be
ground UP and taken out of the European
market. where it is now constant bear
on prices. The amount now taken by the
Oriental market, as stated by this cor,
respondent, will be surprise TO the read
ers of the G o b e, as it is equal to one
seventh of the total output of all tbs
Minneapolis mills and it is tantamount to
takico@ cut of the European markets f1f-
teen million bushels of wheat. The Mis-
sissippi valley farmer cannot afford to
forget such considerations.
The G o b e has heretofore found some
fault with the boot and shoe manufac-
turers Of the country because they were
allowing the tanneries to ship the finished
leather to foreign markets, rather than
| themselves turn the leather into boots
and shoes and send them abroad The
treasury department reports for 1900, end
ing June 80, show very handsome in
crease in expectations OF boots and shoes
over 1899. In all finished feathers except
glazed kid, for which the Europeans have
a special liking, the increase in shipments
was not great, but in boots and shoes it
rose from 81, II, 1856 to $4,274174, or an in
crease OF 81, 562, 7S9. This is q very excel
lent showing and indicates that the boot
and shoe men are learning somewhat
from the flour mill men, and will here
after be willing to sell abroad at mere
cost in order to keep their machinery In
motion and keep down competition from
foreign rivals
The G / b mentions this IN connection
with Chinese -four trade, because of the
fact that most of the foreign flour trade
is handled by our millers at a loss or a
very small margin of profit, yielding more
to the railway and the steamship than to
the miller. But the Chinese trade prom
Uses to. be somewhat different, AID to
yield as coed or nearly as good market