The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-04-07

dom, 80 per cent; United States, over 1000
per cent.
Commercial relations between tho
United States and the Orient should, in
Mr. Austins opinion be especially close
because of the fact that each section
produces articles which the other section
requires. Tropical and subtropical prod
ucts have become a very large proper
ton Of the IMPORTS of the United States,
and are constantly increasing, both in
quantity and value and in the percentage
which they form Of the total imports,
! In the year 1901 the importation of trop--
I zeal and subtrOpical products amounted
to nearly $4CO0OO,0OO, or almost one-half
Of the total imports Of the United States
This class includes such articles as raw
silk, 1ibers, India rubber, cabinet and dye
woods, for use in manufacturing, and tea
coffee, cocoa, sugar tropical fruits ETC.,
for fOOdstuffs
All Are Constantly Importing.
"AIl of these are not produced in the
| Orient, but, in some cases, at least, are
the chief products Of the countries lying
on the opposite side Of the Pacific. On
| the other hand. those countries are con-
| stantly importing the class Of articles
! which the United States produces, and
| for which our producers desire to find
market abroad Thus the commerce OF
the United States and the countries OF
mental, and for this reason a rapid and
permanent growth in exchange Of these
mutually necessary commodities may be
expected when direct water communication
| IS established between the producing and
consuming centers of the United States
and those Of the Asiatic countries and.
/ islands in question.
In addition to this mutual reliance
upon each other of the countries in ques-
| ton, there are other natural conditions
which seem to favor commerce between
the two sections when the Pacific is
| opened to direct transportation between
| the producing and consuming Ceuters Of
the two great sections. Among these
causes are: % The fact that the United
| States has larger frontage on the Pa
cific than any other nation; (2J that IL has
| more and better harbOrs; 90 that it con-
trolls practically all the great way sta
| lions, or mid-ocean islands. and es-
pecially those having valuable harbOr5
and necessary as landing points for
cables; (4) that il has at Manila a pOinu
OF special Importance and commercially
strategic value for the concentration and
distribution of commerce.; and 90 that
IN the great currents of air and water
traversing the Pacific the conditions ara
especially favorable to the United
States.
The fact that a great current of water
cific from about the mouth Of the Dro-
posed lsthmian canal by way OF the
Hawaiian islands to the Philippines
Ihence turning nOrthw2rd past the great
commercial centers OF Asta-Shanghaf
ana 1okohama-swinging across the Pa
cine IN the vicinity Of the great circle
the shortest route across that ocean.
thence down the western coast OF the
United States and past our chief Pacific
coast cities to the very point OF begin
nlng, seem to give special advantages to
the commerce between the two sections.
Tie distance from Brito, at the western
end OF the proposed Nicaraguan canal To
Manila. following the equatorial currents,
OF air and water, via the Sandwich isl.
amos, IN round numbers 10000 miles;
and from Manila back to Brito via Sbar1s,'
hal Yokohama and San Francisco 10 56o
miles thus giving to the vessels engaged
IN tnat commerce the advantages of ian
Voraple ar and water currents during
the entire voyage. and practically a. AZ
periods Of the year"