The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-04-20
THE MINISTER'S ADDRESS
He Spoke on the Cotton Goods Trade
in China.
A GREAT MARKET FOR COARSE GRADES
Senator McLaurin Denied That His Speech Was
intended to Launch New Par y ia the
South, Then Advocated The Ad-
ministration's Policies.
(By the Assoelated Press.l


Charlotte N. c., April ls.-Mr. Wa
Ting Fang, Chinese Minister, was the
guest of honor at dinner given tonight
by the Southern Manufacturers Club,
| of which Mr. d. "A. Tomnkins, a mem
Der Of the United States Industrial
Commission is president. He spoke on
the cotton goods trade in China. Senator
John L. McLaurin, of South Carolina,
was also a guest of the club, and read
a paper on Our Present Conditions in
the South and Our Duty for the Flu
ture."
Mr.. Ellison A. Smythe, President of
The Pelzer Manufacturing company,
spoke on THE Question of the Hour,
or the Need of an Early and Peaceful
Settlement of the Oriental Question
From the Standpoint of a Southern
Manufactures"
DR.. Chas w. Dabney, President Of
the University of Tennessee, spoke on
1.-THE Possibilities in Cotton"
Among other prominent guests was
Senator Pritchard. of North Carolina.
On his arrival this morning, Minister
WI was met at the depot by commit
tee and escorted to the club rooms
where breakfast was served After that
he was given a tour of the cotton mills
of the city. In the afternoon he held
a reception in the parlors of the club.
In his address at the dinner tonight,
Mr.. WI gave general review of the
trade conditions between the South AMI
the Orient and of China's Importance
as a market for Southern goods. After
quoting from advance sheets of the con-
sular reports for February 1901. he
said:
Large as is the amount OF Ameri
can cotton goods which China imports
every year, it forms. only one sixth Of
the quantity she buys from abroad.
indeed. only the outskirts of the coun-
try have been marketed. 1t is weil
known that the bulk of the American
goods is shipped to Manchuria and the
Province of Chi Lii Now Manchuria
has population of 100000 and Chi Ii
a population of $4,000, 0oO These are by
no means the most thickly populated
parts of the empire. There are seven
teen provinces of China proper. many
of which have a denser population than
either Chi Ii or Manchuria. There is
cannot find as ready market l.. the
provinces of Central and Southern
China as in the North.
1T is manifest he added, chat the
cotton growers and manufacturers of
these Southern States have not only
gained a foothold in Manchuria and
North China, but can, with little effort
find a large market for their goods
x,yI.,@ ,E TNrx,f n
South China. The only thing the
American manufacturer has to keep in
mind is that he should make goods
suitable for the Chinese markets. If
properly placed before the Chinese,
American cotton goods win obtain the
same foothold in Southern China that
they have in Northern. The present
importations are not nearly sufficient
to meet the requirements. 1t must
be borne in mind that the Chinese never
wear wool-not even in the depth of
winter; that generally speaking, the
entire population clothe themselves in
cotton all the year round. Their bed
clothes, umbrellas and in few instances.
boat sails, are made of cotton, and
the consumption is practically unlimit-
ed if they are made in accordance with
native requirements. The cloth should
be strong, coarse, unbleached cloth.
p inches wide, retailable at about FIVE
cents gold a yard or SO cents gold per
piece of nine yards. There is also a
market for cotton cloth. which tanned
or otherwise treated, would prove rain
proof. All cotton goods would have to
be cut in length to suit the peculiar
requirements of the trade for which
they are designed, and such details
could best be learned after having made
trial shipment.
1.-THE recent troubles in North China
have undoubtedly injured the American
cotton trade in that country for the mark
ct for such goods has become a vast camp
for armed hosts. In the midst of warlike
operations, trade and commerce cannot
continue to flourish. The restoration of
peace and order to that distracted region
will be a boon not only to the inhabi-
tants of North China who have already
suffered untold losses and hardships, but
also to Southern planters, manufacturers
and laboring men of all classes in this
country, who depend upon the return of
the normal trade conditions in the Chi
nese Empire for their continued prosperi-
ty and ! sincerely hope and trust that this
will not be long delayed"
In beginning his speech, Senator Nc
Laurin said:
II desire to make statement of some
what personal nature before proceeding
with the speech, which / intend to deliver
tonight. A certain newspaper correspon-
dent in the city of Washington has per-
sistently spread the report that l was
coming to Charlotte to make speech,
which would launch new party in the
South. The report is absurdly false If
l had any such intention, good taste
would prevent me from taking advantage
of an opportunity of this kind l am con-
tent to advocate within Democratic lines
the policies which / believe to be the
best for the South, and when l can no
longer do this, am ready to retire to
private life. /"