The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1901-04-25
Mr.. JERNIGAN WRITES.
Tells How Russia Competes With
Tne Southern States.
AN INTERESTING PAPER.

AN INTERESTING PAPER.
Hon. T. r. Jernigan, ex-Consul gen.
eral at Canton, China, under President
Cleveland, wrote recently to the Char
lotte Observer:
In 1891, the value of American cot
ton drills sold in Newchwang was
$572, ,OO7, and in 1899 it was 2,O23 ,646.
There was scarcely any trade in Ameri-
can jeans in 1891, it amounted to only
81 400, but it had increased in 1899 to
$SS, 800. In sheetings the value in
1891 was ST., ,198, ,136, and in 1899 it
had increased to $3,910,916. The
proportion OF American trade at New
chwang to foreign imports by China,
at the port of Newchwang, stands
thus: Total of all foreign imports,
$21, IT'S, $50, and total from America,
SC, 6,4z4,895.
It will be seen from the atoye figures
that the trade between the United
States and China in imports from the
former country has been yearly in
creasing in value, ana that compari-
son of the total shows that the north
China trade at Newchwang alone is
nearly third in value OF the whole
foreign trade at the very point where
Russia claims to be supreme.
To the above figures should be added
the fact that nearly all the cotton goods
from America is sold in the markets
which the delegation accurately repre-
sented were endangered by Russian ag-
gressions, and it pust be clearly evi-
dent that if Russia, under the cover OF
Belgium, controls the building OF
the Hancow and Canton railroad, the
source of that danger will grow until
the force of arms alone can uproot it !
and it ought certainly to be clear that
no valuable quantity of railroad mate
rial would be purchased in America if
either Russia or Belgium builds the
road.
Besides, the increased production of
cotton in Russian Central Asia does not
leave a doubt that Russia is mindful of
tue value OF the Manchurian demand
for cotton goods, and although the
time is distant when the~production of
Russian soil can supply that demand a
few figures will indicate it's approach.
Last year the cotton crop OF Russian
Central Asia is estimated, in German
consular report, at 144,440 tons, being
about one-fourth larger than in 1899,
and supplying halt the demands of the
Russian spinning mills. II is further
estimated by an American authority
that during the five years ending in
1899 we sold to Russia an average of
nearly 81, 100000 worth of raw cotton
every year, showing that twc-thirds of
the raw cotton used in the Russian
mills came from the United States and
one.third from Russian territory, and
it 1s reasonable to conclude that the
development of cotton growing in
Russian Central Asia means the grad
ual exclusion of all foreign cotton from
the Russian mills. It further means
that Russia will want the markets OF
north China for the product of her
own mills and Russian craftsmanship is
open-eyed enough to see it.
The progress of Russia In textile in
dustries, and particularly in cotton
manufactures, has been rapid, and
Russia now holds the fourth place in
cotton spinning, being surpassed only
by Great Britain, the United States
and Germany, and supplies the entire
demand for cotton-fabrics, except Tor
the finer qualities, among the loo, ,O0O,-
600 people of European Russia.
And while it is true that the staple
of Russian cotton has heretofore been
inferior, it has been IN recent years i'm
proved materially by the American up
land variety which has thriyed finely
in Central Asia. The irrigation plans
for the steppes OF Asia will reclaim a
still larger cotton area, aud with cot
ton lands developing. In Caucasia, 1t is
no random prediction that Russia will
become independent, if not competl-
tor, as cotton growing country.
When this writer first arrived In
China, the prediction that Russia
would be as far advanced into the EN-
pire as she is at this date would have
been received as-thoughtless, but Rus
sian diplomacy, like the incoming
tide, although seeming to recede with
the outgoing wave, steadily advances
Notwithstanding the noise along the
shore. The complications in. which
China has involved the world has pre-
sented the aim Of Russian diplomacy
| in light not heretofore so generally
comprehended. After China was de-
| fAat1fl. in the war with JapaI1. the an