Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-02-13
JOUR- FOREIGN TRADE
Remarkable Growth OF American
Foreign Trade Shown by
Consular Reports.
Advance Sheets Made Public To.
day by Bureau Of Foreign
Commerce.
United States Now Europe $ Most
Formidable Competitor in
All Markets.

Washington. Feb. ia general sur
vey or foreign trade Introductory to the
volume on Commercial Relations With
the United States, which formed ths
subject Of special letters from the pres
ident and secretary cf state to congress
| has just been published by Frederick
Emory, the head of the bureau of for
eign. commerce, in the shape of special
number # the Advance Sheets of Con
sular Reports made public today.
IT is compact presentation of import
ant and Instructive features OF the
enormous mass of trade information
which has been collected by the United
states consuls turnout the World dur
ling the past year The publication says
that along with the natural note of
satisfaction in the annual reports Of our
consular officers for last year, there is a
strong hint OF most strenuous colnpeti-
ton and opposition 70 American trade
counterbaiance our superior advan-
our progress in the worlds markets
unless we equip ourselves in the mean
TINA 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
bean achieved with but little effort. for
il is set forth that the appearance CT the
United States as perhaps the mos. for
midable Of all competitors in the fight
for trade supremacy is as astonishing
TO ourselves as to our foreign oppo-
snents The question for the future,
says the publication. is whether we car
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 far banking and trans
portatitn. more liberal credits and man
for particular markets, with
intelligent regard to climatic and race
requirements. According to the United
States treasury returns the imports of
this country for the asst year amounted
TO sS3o00n. 600 exports sl.47S.0 100000, an
Increase Of over sSo,o00000 in imports,
compared With the preceding year;
s2o2.4s000o / n exports. OF course the
percentage OF manufactured goods rose
TO very considerable extent and our
industrial growth continued last year at
a rapid pace, enabling US 70 take less
finished goods fram other countries and
furnish more. Tiie relative cheapness
Of the American products has given
them -eminenne. it is shown, and the
remarkable growth Of foreign demand
for our iron and eel is cited as a strk-
ing instance OF what Underwriting in
prices viii do.
Foreign ebservers particularly British
and Germans. arc shown TO be keenly
ALIKE TO what IS being accomplished By
the greater efficiency of our Industrial
msthnds and exhibit a purpose to prof
by them and ihen fight us With our own
weapons. a great number of EXPIRES
spns from various sources are present.
I'd, showing the wholesome respect and
far With which the powers of the world
look upon the United States in the trade
arera OF the universe. Concentration of
capital. our suddenly acquired iinan-
cial Independence excellence of our for
eign consular service, and. az most inn
.portant. the valuable practical business
education which our SONS receive, are
reasons advanced by foreign commen-
taries for our ren.arka BILE advancement
in trade
Importance OF building up merchant
marine to further our trade with for
eign nations Is touched upon at some
length, and the benefits of direct steam
ship 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
lead TO marked increase in trade. To
a lack in this respect is attributed the
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. 1t is
declared, has converted our Pacific
slope from mere outpost of trade into
hive OF commerce. while Cuba and
Porto Rico offer the southern states
convenient stepping stones to Latin
American trade.
1t is stated that Africa Is rapidly be-
coming a promising field for American,
enterprise, wherever artificial restric-
tons are not imposed. The war in
South Africa has deranged the trade.
hut great Increase in American trade
10 looked for when peace shall have
been restored.
We still control more than one half of
Canada's trade; with Mexico our trade
relations are most satisfactory ard our
goods appear to be making steady
progress in Central America. In the
West Indies and especially in the Brit
1sh possessions. our trade is constantly
growing, and these islands draw the
bulk of imported food supplies from us,
as well as an increasing proportion of
manufactured goods
In Cuba and Porto Rico sufficient
time has not elapsed, it is stated, for re-
cuperation from the war and the read
justment OF industrial and commercial
conditions.
In South America the trade has de-
veloped slowly. except in Argentina and
Peru, where 1t has increased rapidly Of
late.
AS matter of keen interest te the
whole commercial world the progress OF
events in China and its bearing upon
trade is discussed at length. The Unit
ed States is shown toshave suffered as
seriously. II not more 80. than any other
nation, and in fact the bulk OF our ex-