The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-10-12

Belgium outstripped all other countries
In window glass last year, its sales ex-
ceeding 100000 yen. That country, also di-
vided with Germany the bulk of sales here
in bar and rod iron. In such items 'Ameri-
can goods are left to take care of them
selves. no evidence appearing that any one
pushes them, as may be said also not only
of iron and steel products, but well of
cotton goods. The smaller items disclose
similar indifference by American houses,
for in practically everything in the import
list above given, and in long list of sun
dries, Americans might have the market,
If they would try for it. easily increasing
sales in Japan to the volume of purchases.
Even in articles like bicycles and typewrit-
and all peck at 1t. Telephones are coming
into wide use. and those installed consti-
tute service so exasperating that they
would not be tolerated were decent tele-
phones offered. In the lines which the
United States monopolizes, the figures for
leaf tobacco for last year do not represent
anything like normal sales, but reflect an
excess of shipments previously. in anticipa-
ton of increased customs duties In 1899 the
United States sold to Japan, out of 5000, 900
yen of imports, leaf tobacco to the amount
of 4S3S, 1922 yen, and in 1900 1t furnished 454,-
126 yen worth. in total importations of
asa 292 yen. American flour holds the mar
ket for the same reason that it feeds the
remainder of the world
WHAT PUSH MAY DO.
1t need not be supposed that push is
wholly wanting for American business. In
kerosene and cigarettes. for instance, that
quality has won the market by, heroic
methods, for the Standard Oil Company
owns and operates the chief native oil
wells, and has contrived to, send Russian
and Dutch Indian oil far to the rear. and
the American Tobacco Company controls
the leading cigarette works, overcoming, as
far as possible thereby. the duty of $50 per
cent on tobacco. Some energy has APP
peared with good result in respect to weav-
ing machinery imports of which jumped
last year. to s1O.7SS yen. from 2,Sl2 yen in
1900. and from nothing in 1899. The largest
cotton mill in Japan, at Osaka, heretofore
employing only English machinery, is now
making all its new purchases in the United
States. In railway rolling stock, car-build-
ers seem quite careless of orders, but ac-
tivity by builders of locomotives shows
now redOlly OBSTACLES may De overcome,
Experiences with American locomotives
seem to have been unfortunate in 1892
when sales closely approached those of
England. that the demand. dropped by near
ly 10000 yen I'm the following year al
though English sales were not materially
affected. Before that time American sales
had grown. for the engines cost one third
less than the English ones. and they could
be made and delivered In three-quarters the
time. Trouble with defective boilers. pos
sibly the result OF improper shipping, led
to the discontinuance OF orders. Evidently
amends were made for this defect, for the
railway companies resumed purchases last
year, when sales reached IS. 356 yen ap-
preaching again the English sales of se7.
700 yen.
IL is as true OF Japan as of other parts of
the East. that trade may be had by actual
canvass and solicitation as in no other
way. That Is behind the growing success
of the Germans The japanese are most
ambitious for progress, and readily adopt
modern products and appliances when they
learn of them. But they must be shown.
There can be no use in a flood of circulars.
which and the waste basket or dusty