The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-03-25
OSSOs]S|N~s~~N~-O~~~So~
) Minneapolis
ARE GRINDING
WHEAT IN JAPAN
Demand for American Flour
Becomes General in the
Orient.

- Z iAdlSHtJ Oh the International
commercial Exchange, New York, ar
rived In Minneapolis yesterday from
emma and Japan. Mr.. Haight has been
away eight months, and during his alb
sence he has visited various parts Of
emma and all the principal cities
Oh Japan, as well as many Siberian
towns, travelling over the Trans-S ibe-
r1an railway from Vladivostock.
landed in Tacoma last week" said
MI. Halght, land the day that 1 came
In cargo of wheat left Tacoma for
Japan. That is a sign of the times.
Ii we as people had been dealing
with the worlds markets as compre-
hensively as we have cultivated our
own, we should be aware of the sig
n1ncance attaching to this shipment. 1t
marks new and very important de-
partke In the commerce between this
country and the Orient.
Up to date we have only been ship
ping flour. The millers of MINNEAPOLIS
know to what extent the flour traffic
has grown. They know we'll that there
is practically inexhaustible market
in the Orient, which will become avail
able to them If the opportunities are
not blocked by i'll advised legislation
GRIPPING the avenues of transporta-
ton Which alone can give us the entree
to japanese, Chinese and Australian
markets.
L have been observing the trend of
custom in China very closely 1t is an
absolute fact that American flour has
already become an article of staple
diet in the best Chinese families.
These families can afford to get what
suits them best, and it is an encour-
aging sign that they have, to a great
extent forsaken rice in favor of flour
bearing Minneapolis brand.
But the capitalists of Japan have
begun to build Touring mills and now
they have commenced the importation
OF our wheat We shall have to under
sell them in the territory tributary to
them, if we are to build up the flour
trade in China and Japan that has
been considered a part of our COM
7mercial assets. There is talk, and
mind you, the money is ready to back
1t, of building flour mills in Kobe,
Yokohama, Hongkong, Shanghai and
other Chinese and Japanese ports.
think the mills will be built, but I do
not believe the mills now doing an ORR
entail business will need to lose any of
their trade. On the contrary, that
which affects the classes in China and
Japan, also affects the masses. The
demand for flour which now comes bu'
from certain sections of Chinese al y
Japanese society, will in a short tim.
become so widespread that we shall
have all We can do to take care Of our
share of it. If the demand from those
countries increases in the next three
years in the same ratio as it has in
creased during the last three, China
and Japan will take every bushei or
wheat raised for export on the Pacific
coast.
'"Fhe. names of American railway
men who are prominent in transporta-
ton advancement, especially in the
promotion of Asiatic trade, are dis
cussed in japan and China with the
same freedom that they are here. For
instance, very prominent an0
wealthy Chinaman of Pekin asked me
what j. j. Hill looked like, where he
got his education, whether he was like
iy to become a candidate for the pres
ldency, or whether in view of his
achievements, he was not likely to be
honored by his government in some
manner. 1t was impossible under the
circumstances, for me to admit that 1
had never met the president of the
Great Northern, SO 1 described him as
we'll as 1 could from secondhand
knowledge, and forebore to mention
that L did not know him personally.
There was a partial failure of the
rice crop in China last year, and this
has helped the introduction of flour
very materially To make matters
syndicate of Chinese bought I'D all
the rice in sight in two districts and
formed a corner. The Chinese govern
ment bought flour and sold it at cost,
thus establishing in the minds of mil
lions of future consumers, the superb
GRITTY of the American article over the
native one.
There Is a good deal of talk on this
side about another probable uprising
of Boxers. 1t is hardly likely that there
will be another uprising so far as am
able to discern. The Japanese and the
English have hard and fast alliance
that makes for peace. The Japs could
land great and very efficient army in
China very quickly. The Chinese know
this. There will probably be another
war in the future, in which Russia and
Japan will involve England and Ger
many, with possibly France, but 1t is
not in sight now.
II made trip over the Siberian rail-
way, and was rather disappointed. The
road was built in a hurry and it is
far from a commercial success. The
passenger, as well as the freight, must
accept conditions of delay that would
not be tolerated in this country for a
moment. Yet there is no doubt that
eventually the Siberian route will be a
great commercial highway At pres
ent it is merely the making Of rail-
way system"