The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-02-13
Unite in Reporting Great Pro-
gress Of American Trade.
ENGLAND AND GERMANY
Are Our Chief Competitors and
Best Customers.
Danger Of Japanese Competition
Has Disappeared.

the FOiQulS on commercial tkelaLAOLS
( with the United States which formed
the subject of special letters from the
| president and the secretary Of state to
1 congress, has just been published by
| treuErlck Emory. the head of the bu-
reau OF foreign commerce and compiler
Of this matter, in the shape of a special
number of the advance sheets of con-
sular reports" As the title indicates
the survey is a compact presentation Of
the most important and instructive fea-
lures of the enormous mass of trade
/ information which has been collected
by the United States cOnSuis through
out the world during the past year. The
/ publication says that along with nat
ura1 note Of satisfaction in the annual
reports Of our consulS last year there IS
a strong hint Of a most strenuous com
petition and opposition to the advance
ment of American trade balance abroad
which may fully cOunterbalance our su-
perior advantage to considerable ex-
tent and curtail our shipping to the
worlds markets unless we equip our
selves meantime for the ultimate phases
/ of the struggle.
Our foreign trade today as compared
with that Of recent years shows a gain.
remarkable because it has been achieved
with but little effort, for 1t is set forth
that the appearance Of the United States
is perhaps the most formidable OF all
competitors in the fight for trade SUI
selves as TO our foreign opponents.
The question for the future, says the
publication. is whether we can hold the
position We seem about to gain, BY
means. of our economy OF production
greater labor efficiency and cheap raw
materials, or whether we shall have to
arm ourselves with weapons especially
fashioned for controlling foreign trade,
such as more scientific export methods
better facilities of banking and trans
pOrtation, mere liberal credits and man
ufacturing for particular markets with
| intelligent regard to climatic and race
requirements
According to United States treasury
returns the imports Of this country Tor
last year in round numbers amounted
to $780, 000, GEO, and the exports to s1,478,-
000, 600, an increase of over $50 900, GOO in
the import trade as compared with the
preceding year and of $202, 4s0, 900 in ex-
ports OF the exports, the percentage
of manufactured goods rose to a very
considerable extent and our industrial
growth continued last year at rapid
pare, enabling US TO take less finished
goods from other countries and to fur
nish more. The relative cheapneSs Of
American products has given them pre-
eninence. it is shown. and the remark
able growth OF the foreign demand for
our iron and steel Is cited as a. striking
instance Of what underwriting in prices
will do.
Foreign observers. particularly the
British and the Germans, are shown to
be keenly alive to what is being accomp-
lishad by the greater efficiency of our
industrial methods and exhibit a pur-
pose to profit by them ana then TO nRnC
US with our own weapons A great num-
Der of expressions from various sources
are presented, showing the wholesome
respect and fear with which the powers
of the world look upon the United States
in the trade arena of the universe The
concentration OF capital, our suddenly
acquired financial independence, the ex-
cellence OF our foreign consular service
and. as most important the valuable
practical business education which our
sons receive, are reasons advanced by
foreign commentaries for our remark
able advancement in trade. As par
ticularly significant, a writer in the
London Times tells of a few evenings
spent with some students of a large
American college, where to his great
aFnazement the youths. instead of dis
cussing the lighter sides OF life, dis
cOursed cIeverly on questions that arose
out of the business in which their siEeS
were engaged This would be looked
upon as the worst OF bad form at an
English university, but to il L. attFib-
uted American success in business. The
importance of building a merchant ma
rine to further our trade with foreign
nations IS touched upon at some length
and the benefits of direct steamship
transportation emphasized, the good
effects Of the latter being stated to be
particularly apparent in the cases Of
Peru and Turkey, in each of which the
establishment of better steamship
transportation facilities Immediately led
to a marked increase of trade. To a
slow growth OF our trade with South
America
The entrance Of the south into the
trade of the Orient is spoken OF as a
novel feature Of our expansion In the
production and expectation OF cotton
the southern states have made gigantic
strides of late. The acquisition of the
Hawaiian and Philippine islands, it is
declared. has converted our Pacific slope
from a mere outpost Of trade into a hive
Of commerce, while Cuba and Porto
Rico offer the southern states conven-
lent stepping stones to Ladn-American
trade.
Taking the great geographical divi-
sions in alphabetical order, 1t is stated
that Africa is rapidly becoming a prom
Using field for American enterprise,
wherever artificial restrictions are not
imposed. In the west there is an in
creasing demand for American goods.
In East Africa it IS noticeable that in
Madagascar, where France imposes a
tariff discrimination in favor of her own
products, our cotton goods trade, once
considerable, has been practically de-
SomaIi country and Abyssinia- where
such restrictions do not exist 1t con-
tiuues to grow. The war in South Africa
has deranged the trade, but a great in
crease IS looked for when peace shall
have been restored
or our continent we still control more
than one hall or Canada's trade; with
Mexico ofI. trade relations are most SAT-
isfactory and our goods appear to be
making steady progress in Central
AEsrica- In this connection, attention;
Is 1filed 70 the Increasing Investment %
German capital in Costr Rica, Guake-
mala and Nicaragua which is estimated
at sb7 600 roo
II the West Indies and especially the
British possessions, our trade is con-
stantly growing and these islands draw
the bulk Of imported food supplies from
US. as well as an increasing proportion
Of II manufactured goods
T4~
has not yet elapsed 1t is stated. for re-
cuFeratioSt from the war and the read