Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-29
COM MERCIAL RELATIONS
SECRETARY HAY TRANSMITS I'M
PORTANT REPORTS TO PRESIDENT.
Trade Eminence of the United States
shown by Our Representa-
tives Abroad.

A most important and interesting sum-
mary of what has been achieved by the
United States in the direction of opening
up and extending Our markets abroad is
presented in the following letter from Sec
retary Hay addressed to the President,
which was laid before Congress today, ac-
companying the annual publication known
as Commercial Relations of the United
States With Foreign Countries
I'm accordance with section 2aS of the
Revised Statutes / have the honor to trans
nit the Commercial Relations of the United
States With Foreign Countries during the
year 1900 being the annual and other re-
ports of a comprehensive character from
the consular officers, together with similar
reports from some of the diplomatic officers.
upon the industries and commerce of for
eign countries. These reports were pre-
pared under special instructions from this
department, with the object of laying be-
fore Congress, with the least delay, a prac-
tically contemporaneous sta tement of the
trade. not only of the United States with
the rest of the world, but of the various
countries with each other. This object, l
am happy to be able to say, has been ac-
complished. the date of transmission to
Cor SreSs this year having been advanced
over the usual time by month. and real
izing the utmost conditions Of promptitude
compatible with a proper analysis of the
lying result indicates continued improve
ment in the activity and zeal of our con-
sular ofhcers, as we'll as in the system of
publishing and distributing their reports.
Improved Consular Service.
1T may be said, indeed that, while a
variety OF propositions have been under
discussion for the improvement of the con-
sular service, the service has, to a very
considerable extent, improved itself, and in
winning frequent expressions of commen-
dation from business interests which have
received substantial aid, not only from the
puDlShed reports, but also from the fndi-
Viduai efforts of consular officers to meet
the growing requirements of American in
dustry and enterprise. The practical char
acter OF the commercial information OBJ
tained by our consuls, and the CELEBRITY
with which it is given to the public CON
tnues to excite the emulation of foreign
governments and during the past year
steps have been taken by both Great Brit
ain and Germany to engraft these fea-
consular systems.
Eminence of the United States.
THE general conclusion to be drawn from
a survey of the conditions in foreign coun-
tries, as described in the reports here
with presented, is that the United States
is approaching, even more swiftly than
was expected, a position of eminence In
the worlds markets, due to superior quail
ity and greater cheapness of many lines
of It's manufactures, which must work
great economic changes and may result in
shifting the center not only of industrial,
but OF commercial activity and the money
power of the world to our marts. The
trade indications of American supremacy
during the past year have been so marked
that many foreign industries according
to the reports of our consuls in Europe,
are Introducing American machinery and
labor-saving appliances and remodeling
their factory methods and We may expect
In the near future more strenuous COM
petition for which 1t is important We should
prepare ourselves AS an aid to such
equipment the study Of the great mass Of
information as to foreign industries and
trade conditions which is to be found in
the two volumes of Commercial Relations,
will obviously prove most useful to our
manufacturers and exporters, and l there
fore recommend that Congress be request
ed to authorize, as was done last year,
the printing of a special edition Of 10000
copies Of the Review Of the Worlds Com
merce and 5000 copies Of Commercial Re
latiOnS"