The Holt County sentinel., 1900-05-25
Wider Markets for Farmers.

/
THE American farmer. as we'll as the
American manufacturer, is reaping tbs
benefits of expansion" said Frank ii
Hitchcock. chief of the section of foreign
markets in the Department of Agricul
ture, when discussing the expansion
question. "Our sales of agricultural
products abroad during the past three
years, 1897 1889, were over SJOO,OOO,GU
greater than in the preceding three years
lS9i-lS96. This enormous gain affords
some idea of the possibilities that await
further development of our agricultural
export trade.
Wider markets are becoming not only
an advantage, but necessity. The pro
ducts Of our farms, like the products of
our factories, are increasing far beyond
our own requirements, and the surplus
thus resulting must be disposed of
abroad, or we shall have constant glut
in the home market. To avoid such a
condition, We are striving as never be
fore to increase our shipments to foreign
countries We are searching the world
over to find new markets, in order that
the American farmer may have a reader
and more profitable sale for his pro-
ducts.
"Our control of the markets of Cui5a
ard Porto Rico will mean money in the
pockets of our farmers. Under normal
conditions these two islands purchase
annually s-O,00O.00O worth of agricul-
tural produce, chiefly brcadstuifs and
prov sions, and practically all of this
trade should come 10 the United States.
In due time the Philippines also will
furnish an important market for the
produce of American farms The group
of islands is particularly important, be-
cause Of its relation to the valuable COM
merce of the Orient. All the great COM
mercial nations are expectantly looking
toward China, where are 400,WO,OOO
people, as ehe most promising field for
trade development the world now offers.
The American farmer wants share in
that trade. With a commercial foot
hold in the Philippines, and naval base
there to insure the protection Of our
commerce on the Pacific, we shall he
better able to reach forth into the GOV
eted markets of China. Japan and the
rest of Eastern Asia.
THE foreign trade of China, Japan
and the East Indies. even under the pres
cnt undevcloped conditions, amounts TO
more that 81 .OOO, 600, 900 year, and of
this vast commerce the United States
has less than ID per cent. The pOssibii
ties of commercial expansion in this Iii
rection are simply enormous Our ey-
portcrs are beginning more fully to re
cognIZe this fact, and to take advantage
of it. The results already obtained are
significant. Five years ago our exports
to China and Japan were valued at little
more than sl2,0OO,U00; last year they
amounted to nearly Si0UO,W0. Pro
ducts of the farm enter extensively into
this rapidly growing trade. The cotton
planter of the south and the wheat
grower of the north and west are alike
benefited. During the past year more
than l0O.000,O00 pounds of American
cotton were shipped to Japan, as com
pared with only 100000 pounds five
years ago. Our exports of wheat flour
to Asia in the meantime have increased
from less than l,GOO,OOO barrels to over
| :OO,OW. Many other agricultural ex-
ports of the United States are finding
new and profitable market in the
Orient, and all Indications point to the
development there of an extensive trade
in the products of agriculture.
THE farmers benefit from commercial
expansion, however, is not measured
merely by the larger sale of his own
products abroad. He profits nearly as
much from the growing expectation Of
manufactured wares. The increased
vi III tilc "
States to meet the requirements of a
broadening export trade naturally ere
ates a larger home demand forssthe pro-
ducts of the farm. Every additional
pound of cotton cloth sent tn Asia means
a better market at home for our raw cot
ton: every additional pair of shoes sold
abroad means better morket here for
hides of cattle. and so on through the
list of agricultural products that form
the materials of manufacture. Then,
too, all the various industries that are
extended to meet il growing export de
mand require additional workmen, and
these workmen must be fed from the
produce of the farm. Thus the Amcri-
GIN farmer finds that the policy Of com
mcrciaI expansion results to his great
advantage in the home As we'll As in the
foreign market