The sun. (Wilmington, Del.) 1897-19??, 1901-01-30
OUR FOREIGN TRADE.
How Uncle Sam Is Extending Ills
- Markets Abroad.
VALUE OF CONSULAR REPORT
Secretary Hay In Letter to Congress
Says That the United States Is
Nearing Pre-eminence In
the Worlds Markets.

Washington, Jan. 29.--A most impor-
tant and interesting summary of what
has h,cn achieved by the United States
in the direction of opening up and eX-
tending our markets abroad is presented
in the following letter from Secretary
Hay, which was laid before congress ac-
companying the annual publication known
as Commercial Relations of the United
States With Foreign Countries"
In accordance with section 2OS of the
revised statutes, | have the honor to
transmit the commercial relations Of the
United States with foreign countries dur
ing the year 1900, being the annual and
other reports Of a comprehensive charac'
Ter from the consular officers, together
with similar reports from some of the
diplomatic officers upon the industries
and commerce Of foreign countries.
'.,rhese reports We're prepared under
special Instructions from this department
with the object of laying before congress
with the least delay practically con-
temporaneous statement of the trade-of
the trade not only Of the United States
with the rest of the world. but of the va
rious countries with each other.
This object, am happy to be able to
say. has been accomplished, the date Of
transmission to congress this year having
been advanced over the usual time by a
month and realizing the utmost condi-
tions of pronIptitule compatible with a
proper analysis of the latest returns for
the year 1860. So gratifying result in
dicates continued improvement in the ac-
+ tivity and zeal of our consular officers as
4 well ms in the system of publishing and
distributing their rcnorts.
II may he said indeed that while n va
4 Iipty vi propositions have been under dis
! cilssiDn foi the Improvement Of the con
4 sulur service, the service has to very
< considerable extent improved itself and
i winning frequent expressions of com
incubation from business interests which
have received substantial aid not only
fran tie published reports, but also from
the individual efforts of consular officers
to meet the growing requirements Of
American industry and enterprise.
Foreign Countries Copy lis.
The practical character of the com
mercal information obtained by our con
.uls and the celebrity with which il i,
given 10 the public continue to excite
The emulation Of foreign governments
and during the past year steps have been
taken by both Great Britain and Ger
many 10 engraft those features OF ON
consular work upon their consular sys
tens
The general conclusion 10 be drawn
from a survey Of the conditions in foreign
countries as described in the Tcports
herewith presented. Is that the United
States is approaching, even more swiftly
than was expected. Il position pl emf
uence Ill thc worlds markets, due "a MI
perior quality and greater cheapncss o
many lines Of it, manufactures whiCl
must work great economic changes anC
may result in shifting the center not 0nl.
; of industrial. but of commercial actiyit,
and the money power of the world TO on
marts.
The trade indications of American
supremacy during the past year hay'
been SO marked that many foreign indus
tries, according to the reports Of gu
consuls in Europe are introducing Amer
lean machinery and labor saving apph
ances and remodeling their factory meth
DDS, and we may expect, III the near fiji
i turc, Il more strenuous competition 70
which it is important we should prepar
ourselves.
I "As an aid 10 such equipment tn
i study of the great mass of infurnatiO
rs to foreign industries and trade cond
4 tons which is 10 be found in the tw
: volumes Of commercial relations will 81
yiously prove most useful 10 our manr
facturers and exporters, and | therefor
recommend that congress be requested t
4 authorize, as was done last year, til
4 printing of Il special edition of 1906
+ copies Of the review Of the worlds con
!. merce and 5000 copies Of commercial +,