The age-herald., 1901-04-19
CHINA Is MARKET FOR COTTON GOODS Minister Wu Advises South to
 Try Orient Trade CHINESE NEVER WEAR WOOL If Manufacturers Cater to the People They Can obtain the Greatest
 Market of the World for f Their Goods.
CHINESE NEVER WEAR WOOL

Charlotte. N C., April 1s.-Mr. Wu Ting Fang, Chinese misister. was the guest of honor at dinner given tonight by the Southern Manufacturers Club. He spoke on the cotton goods trade in China. Sem ator John L. McLaurin of South Carolina was also present as a guest of the club, and read a paper on "Our Present Condi- tions in the South and Our Duty for the Future"
 MT. Ellison A. Smythe. president of the Pelzer Manufacturing Company, spoke on ''The Need of an Early and Peaceful Set clement of the Oriental Question from the Standpoint of a Southern Manufac- turer.''
 pr. Charles ". Dabney, president of the University of Tennessee, spoke on The Possibilities in Cotton"
 Among other prominent guests were Senator .Pritchard of North Carolina.
 In his address, MT. wu gave general review of the general trade conditions be- tween the south and Orient, and of Chi mas importance as market for southern goods. He said:
 Large as is the amount of American cotton goods. which China imports every year. 1t forms only one-sixth or the quan- tity she buys from abroad. Indeed, only the outskirts of the country have been entered. It Is well known that the ouiK of the American goods is shipped to Man churia and the province of Chi u. NOW Manchuria has a population of 7,OOo,oOo and Chi Ii a population of IS, 000,O 900. These are by no means the most thickiy popu- lated parts of the Empire. There are seV- enteenA other provinces of China proper many of which have denser popuia- ton than either Chi u or Manchur1a' There is no reason why Amer1can col'oii M goods cannot find as ready markeI III the provinces of central and southern Chl- ma as in the north.
 .I is manifest" he said. that the cot ton growers and manufacturers or anese southern states have not only galneo foothold in Manchuria and North Chna' but can with a little effort easily ma large market for their goods throughout the whole of Central and South China The only thing the American manufac- turer has to keep In mind Is that ne should make goods suitable TOT the Chinese market.
 If properly placed before the Chinese, American cotton goods will obtain the same foothold in Southern China that they have in Northern. The present i'm portations are not nearly sufficient to meet the requirements. It must be borne in mind that the Chinese never wear wool-not even in the depth of winter that, generally speaking, the entire popu- lation clothe themselves in cotton all the year round. Their clothes, umbrellas and in few instances boat sails, are made of cotton, and the consumption is prac- tically unlimited if they are made in ac- cordance with native requirements There Is also a virgin market for cot ton cloth which, tanned or otherwise treated, would prove rain-proof. All cot ton goods would have to be put up in lengths to suit the peculiar requirements of the trade for which they are designed, and such details could best be learned af- ter having made a trial shipment.
 "The recent troubles In north China have undoubtedly injured the American cotton trade in that country, for the market for such goods has become vast camp for armed hosts. In the midst or warlike operations trade and commerce cannot continue to flourish. The restora- ton of peace and order to that distracted region will be a boon not only to the in- habitants of north China, who have al- ready suffered untold losses and hard ships, but also to southern planters, man ufacturers and laboring men of all classes in this country who depend upon the re- turn of the normal trade conditions in the Chinese Empire for their continued prosperity, and I sincerely hope and trust that this will not be long delayed.
 Before beginning his speech Senator McLaurtn said:
 I desire to make a statement of some- what personal nature before proceeding with my speech. A certain newspaper cor respondent in Washington has persistent ly spread the report that I was coming to Charlotte to make a speech which would launch a new party in the south. The report is absurdedly false. If l had any such intention. good taste would pre- vent me from taking advantage Of an op- portunity of this kind l am content to advocate within Democratic lines the pol icies which I believe to be best for the south. and when can no longer do this T am readv to retire td private ife."