Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1903-08-20
Chinese

hsnes an interview, in regard to the
significance of the opening of the new
Manchurian ports, with John Barrett.
commissioner-general to Asia of the
Louisiana purchase exposition.
Mr.. Barrett, who has recently been
appointed United States minister to
Argentine, was formerly United States
minister to Siam, and while in Asia
made careful study of the political and
commercial conditions of China.
He was in Manchuria in 1894. again
IN 1898 and last year made another
visit there as the representative of
the st. Louis Worlds Fair. In his
statement which he made at st. Louis
at the special request of the Manu-
facturers' Record, Mr.. Barrett said:
THE Importance of the enlarged
commercial opening of Manchuria.
through the recent negotiations of
Secretary Hay, cannot be overesti-
mated, especially in its bearing upon
the market for the manufactured cot
ton goods of the south. While, how.
ever. the business interests of the
southern states might first seem to
reap the chief benefit, Manchuria is
sure to provide a rapidly developing
market for all kinds of American man.
ufactured products. principally those
made in the eastern and central west
ern states. 1t is my belief, after visit
ing carefully nearly every section of
China several different times during
the last ten years, that northern China
and Manchuria will always offer the
best general market for American ex-
port. 1t is the one portion of China
where material progress and the in.
crease of population will be more note.
worthy than in any other portion of
the empire
Mr.. Barrett gave a sketch of eli
matte and soil conditions of Manchuria
and of its valuable possibilities, and
said:
'The present population of Man.
churia conservatively estimated is
approximately 100000 1t is not
thickly settled like most of the pro-
vinces of China proper. Wherever
he is impressed with the opportunities
for the growth of cities and towns
the improvement of the land and q
general increase Of population. The
remarkable progress that this section
has experienced during the last five
years gives some idea of what will
come in the future. There are cities
Of $4,000 population now where in
1898 there were small villages.
''There is no contradicting the fact
that the construction of the Chinese
eastern railway has had much the
same effect upon Manchuria as the
building of the Northern Pacific had
on the Dakotas, Montana, Oregon and
/. Washington. While of course, Man.
churia has suffered in some portions
from lawlecsness, which has driven
the population away or into the coun
try, compared to what it was a few
years ago, gives the impression to the
visitor that the number of farmers and
settlers is growing trace.
at is interesting to note that the
inhabitants of Mauchuria and north
ern China seem not only to have taken
a special liking to American cotton
goods, but to have manifested a great
er willingness to employ modern
methods of life than the people of
other portions of China. The rapid
increase of the sales of cotton drills
made largely by southern mills is
proof of the popularity of these exports
and further evidence that the market
for item in the future will be much
greater than it is now. When | first
visited New Chwang some ten years
ago, if remember correctly, the i'm
port of American goods amounted ap-
proximately to only Is per cent. of the
total, as shown by the records Of the
imperial customs. When | went
there in 1898, only five years later.
American imports had grown to near
ly 60 per cent. of the total. | regret
that | have not at hand the exact
statistics of present American trade
with Manchuria, but the last report
by United States Consul Miller at New
Chwang gives details which the Amer
should carefully study. He says that
the present value of cotton goods com
ing through that port is S12, 10000.
.He brings out one salient point
which must not be forgotten, and that
is that the Russian cotton manufac-
turers of central and southern Rus
STA have their eyes on this wonderful
market. and are going to make every
effort to capture it, assisted by low
rates on the Trans-Siberian railway
and on the subsidized Russian com
mercial steamers plying regularly be-
tween the Bla Sea and the Gulf OF
Pechili
ct is doubtful if the Trans
Siberian railway, with its long ever
land haul, can ever give permanen;
rates that will compete with all water
transportation from New York, New
Orleans or San Francisco, but there is
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