The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-03-03
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
HOW SHALL WE RETAIN OUR GREAT
LEAD IN THE WORLDS MARKETss
Comparison of the Past and Forecast
for the Future Indicate Possible
tiles Almost ImmeasurabIe.

tiles Almost ImmeaSuruDle.
How may the United States retain her
lead in the worlds markets?' This ques-
ton has been suggested 10 me, but 1t seems
that il might more properly take this form:
How could the United States, except by
gross neglect, fail to retain the lead in the
worlds markets. The individual who
deals in the articles absolutely required for
daily life is sure of having custom, first,
If he deals fairly; second, If he has not too
many rivals, and third. If the class of goods
which he has TO sell is as good as that
which is offered by other people.
Our condition as a nation ~justiies this
comparison. We are the greatest PRODUCER
in the world of practically all the articles
which man must have for daily sustenance
and comfort. We produce more of pro-
visions and breadstuffs for food than any
other nation; we produce more of cotton
for clothing: more of iron ore and copper
for use in manufacturing; more of coal for
heating and use in the domestic arts and
industries; more of petroleum for light;
have better manufacturing facilities; more
ingenious machinery and skilled workmen
than any other nation, and a more effective
railway system for transporting these com
modities. natural and manufactured, TO the
waters edge, and a great ocean on each side
to float them TO every part of the world. We
have all the articles that the world re-
quires for daily use; our rivals, though
numerous, nave not the facilities of produc-
ton which. we possess; but, If we deal
fairly by our customers, why may we not
then continue TO lead, and why should
there be any possible failure in our contin-
uing to lead the world In international COM
merce?
National statistics of the production of
great classes of articles slowly
and travel slowly, but it is now practicable
to compare our own statistics with those Of
other countries for 1898 and 1899. Our
wheat crop of 1898 exceeded that of any
other country. being Go. Oo.O 900 bushels.
while Russia, which came next in rank,
had 405, OOO,OO bushels, our own being %
per cent. of the worlds wheat supply. Our
product of corn, which is rapidly gaining
in popularity throughout the world, was
in 1898 more than ten times that Of the
next largest Hungary
being in tina year 1924, OOO,O 900 bushels,
against 1Ol,OUO,OOO DuSnclS III AuSlTld-f1u0-
gary, which took second rank as the pro-
Queer of this important article of food for
man and animals, and our total production
of corn formed 70 per cent. of the worlds
total of that important food product.
OTHER PRODUCTS.
Our expectations of provisions Cby which
term is meant meats and dairy products)
amounted in 1899 TO $175, o ,OOO, against s52.-
100000 for the Netherlands. which occupied
second rank as an exporter of provisions.
Our cotton crop of 1898 was $3.50. 600. 600
pounds, against LOO, 0OO.0 900 pounds produced
by British India, which occupied second
rank as a producer of that article, and we
supplied over 76 per cent. of the cotton
of the world. Our coal product in 1899 was
217.O 900 tons (of 2,2i0 pounds). against
POP, OOO,0 900 tons by the United Kingdom,
which occupied second rank as a worlds
producer, and our total formed 81 per cent.
of the worlds production Of that important
article, which has become an absolute re-
quirement in every part of the world.
Our production of pig iron in 1899 was 49,
$4,000 tons, against 9,SO9,O0O tons by the
United Kingdom, and we produced in that
year 81 per cent. of the worlds production
of this article. which is becoming more and
more a requirement in the industries and
its relation to the conveniences and necessi-
ties of daily life. Our copper production of
1895 was four times as great as that of any
other country and formed 81 per cent. of the
worlds supply. Our petroleum production in
that year was greater than that of any other
nation. being 2,544.OOO 900 gallons, against
., 495, 5000 BOO gallons by Russia, and our total
amounted to 40 per cent. of the world
product of crude petroleum, while the per-
centage of refined petroleum which it sup
plies is very much greater than that of our
chief rival in the production of crude pc.
troleum-Russia. Our railways aggregate
in mileage six times those of the second
greatest nation I'm railway mileage Ger
many, and form, in fact. 40 per cent. OF
the entire railway system of the world,
while our telegraphs are two and a halt
times those of the second greatest nation
in telegraph mileage Russia), and form
% per cent. of the worlds telegraph sys-
tenn.
These are the facilities which we have
for a great We produce more
Of all the articles which the world requires
than any other naton-vastly more-and
have a far better system of putting these
articles into the condition in which the
WOTlu requires lnem LOT immediate con-
sumption, that Is, manufacturing; while
for transporting them we have by far the
greatest land system and lack only the
vessels to carry them from our ports across
the great oceans which leave our shores on
either side and stand ready 10 float them
to the waiting nations OF the world. When
we shall have added 10 all of these won
derful advantages which nature and the
inventive enterprise and boundless energy
of our people have given us the single re-
naming requisite OF transportation facili-
ties from our ocean ports TO those OF other
countries, we should have no difficulty
whatever in retaining the supremacy OF
the worlds markets which we have at
tanned I'm the closing years OF the nine
teenth century: and II would appear that
we could only fail In retaining that su-
premacy through serious neglect Of the
great advantages which nature has given
us.
INSTRUCTIVE COMPARISON.
Another means OF estimating our pros
pective growth I'm m as compared
with other nations is 10 examine our
growth OF recent years In comparison with
that OF the other greater countries. and II
Il.