Evening star., 1902-09-13
Sales Abroad.

comply with the peculiarities of foreign
trade methods.
Sales Abroad.
Cargoes of American lumber are dumped
upon British markets with hurry-up orders
to sell, and at times realize less than the
cost of production at American mills.
American cattle have been brought to
Europe within. the past two months and
sold for less than would have been realized
net on the Chicago market. To listen to
the statements of partly informed enthu-
siastS and to note the multiplicity of
American signs and advertisements in Lon
don one could easily believe that all Eng
Hshmen, their wives, their sons and their
daughters were wearing American shoes,
whereas it is a cold fact that American
goods constitute less than 1 per cent of the
boots and shoes used in the united king
dom.
This 1 per cent is a large trade but it
does not mean, as some people seem to be-
lieVe, that the British manufacturer has
been driven from the field that British
plants are idle. The fact of the matter is
that with the exception of agriculture and
one two minor industries Englands do
mestic and foreign trade was never larger,
wages so high, work so plentiful, or, in
fact, her entire people more generally pros
porous than they are today.
Let there come a slack in the present rush
of worldwide prosperity a few years of
bad crops in the western United States as
has often been recorded in the past and Is
a probability of any decade of the near
future, and matters would assume a
strangely different aspect The consuming
power of the world has it's ebb and flood
tides. Should an ebb tide follow the present
flood, and that it will is certain the foreign
trade of the United States will show a tre-
mendous decrease from present figures
The small corn crop of 1901 is undoubtedly
responsible for the decline of millions noted
during the past year as compared with the
Z he of ho
year is as large as anticipated the total
value of exports next year will probably
show a satisfactory gain
This Is merely an illustration of the real
character or the great foreign trade of the
United States. At least Go per cent of it
depends upon the productveness of Amcri-
can farms. Considered frankly and fairly
Ine decline In exports from the United
states noted this year means merely a lack
or surplus agricultural products to ship
away. 1t is more alarming statisticaIy
than IN any other phase, for It means no
loss of prestige.
This is the situation TODAY hu+ dava,,,
ments are promised for the future which
Will put a different face upon matters and
open up real dangers due to competition
ana not TO natural shortages. Should the
world reach an ebb tide in it's consuming
power. which of course would mean a CON
Iracting domestic as well as foreign mar
htt' margins upon manufactured goods
YOU'D De narrowed, competition would be
Wnlch entered a foreign port, under re-
duced tarlr charges. would have an advan-
tage difficult, if not impossible, to over
come.
The Reciprocal Idea in High Favor
While the people of the United States
and with good reason, are congratulatina
themselves upon their success abroad and
with characteristic disregard of the rntura
are refusing to make trade concessions to
their best customers, the latter are hy no
means SO indifferent to what may be ac-
complished by a give-and-take poIicv
lrritated and alarmed by American tr.do
aggression and inspired by the apnarent
prospect OF universal peace and the ton
dency toward trade combinations the recin-
rocal idea Is now in high favor in all other
parts of the world The United States with
her seventeen or more treaties of trade and
commercial friendship pigeon -holed by the
Senate stands aloof and apparently daar
90 the eager discussion of this topic No
further talk is heard abroad Of treaty wit
the United States, for it seems to he ac
cepted that until new point of view ia
reached by American lawmakers advances
would meet only with rebuff and tentatiya
agreements would be abortive.
canada. the third largest customer Of the
oniteo states, IS making good her word to
attempt a great and independent place for
hersef In the world. regardless of her reIa
t1ons with the United States NOT only in
the eyes or England, but those of all other
countries When the Canadian high com
mlSSloners returned from their fruitless trim
TO washington they were chagrned at their
reception and smarted under a sense of
failure Sir Wilfrid Laurier was polite in
ms phrasing in public speech but from that
.ime on poiicy of greater Canada" took
the place with him of the plan for closer
commercial union with the United States.
winch had carried his party into power
What Canada is Doing.
The English coronation gave this clever
statesman his opportunity. and he has
taken advantage of it to the utmost. The
results of his mission are already apparent.
No actual favors have as yet been secured,
out the Immediate future gives excellent
promise of tangible returns Through his
active campaign. aided materially by the
recent marked revival Of imperial spirit in
ENGLAND. Canada has suddenly assumed a
Vastly more important position toward con-
tinental as well as English affairs than she
has ever before occupied Not only does the