The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1903-08-05
THE VALUE OF MANCHURIA
THE LAND OF THE FUTURE, SAYS
JOHN BARRETT.
Rapidly Developing Market for American
Goods Assured Why Russia Is a
Formidable Competitor.


The Manufacturers Record publish
I'd recently an interview in regard to
0he significance of the opening of the
aew Manchurian ports with John Bar
rett, commissioner general to Asia of
she louisiana Purchase exposition. Mr..
Barrett, who has recently been APP
pointed United States minister to Ar
xentina, was formerly United States
minister to Siam and while in Asia
made a careful study Of the political
and commercial conditions of China.
He was in Manchuria in 1894, again in
1893 and last year made another visit
there as the representative Of the st.
Louis exposition. In his statement,
which he made at st. Louis, Mr.. Bar
rett said
'The Importance of the enlarged
commercial opening of Manchuria can
not be overestimated, especially in its
bearing upon the market for the man
ufactured cotton goods of the south.
Manchuria is sure to provide a rapidly
developing market for all kinds of
American manufactured products. 1t
Is my belief that northern China and
Manchuria will always offer the best
general market for American exports.
It is tie land of the future. 1t is the
one portion of China where material
progress and the increase of population
will be more noteworthy tban in any
other portion of the empire.
1.-THE present population of Manchu-
ria, conservatively estimated, is APP
proximately 100000. 1t is not thick
ly settled like most of the provinces of
China proper. Wherever the traveller
goes through Manchuria he is impress
ed with the'OppOrtunities for the growth
Of cities and towns, the improvement
of the lane and a general increase OF
population. The remarkable progress
that this section has experienced dur
ing the last five years gives some idea
Of what will come in the future. There
are cities of $4,000 population now
where in 1892 there were small vii
lagos. There is no contradicting the
fact that the construction of the Chi
nese 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.
1T is interesting TO note that the in
habitants of Manchuria and northern
China seem not only to have taken
special liking to American cotton goods,
but to have manifested a greater will
ingness to employ modern methods or
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 popu-
larity of these exports and a further
evidence that the market for them in
the future will be much greater than II
is now. When l first visited New
chwang, some ten years ago, If re-
member correctly the import of Amer
lean goods amounted approximately TO
only Is per cent Of the total, as shown
by the records of the imperial customs.
When went there five years later
American imports had grown to near
ly 60 per cent of the total. The last
report by United States Consul Miller
at Newchwang says that the present
value of cotton goods coming through
that port is SO, 100000.
"He brings out one salient point
which must not be forgotten, ana that
is that the Russian cotton
nd
have their eyes on this wonderful mar
ket and are going to make every eHort
to capture it, assisted by low rates on
the Transsiberian railway and on the
subsidized Russian commercial steam
ers plying +, gularly between the Black
sea and gulf of Pechili 1t is doubtful
If the Transsiberian railway. with ITS
long overland haul, can ever give per-
manent rates that will compete with
all water transportation from New
York, New Orleans or San Francisco.
but there is danger in the subsidized
steamship competition. 1t will be a
long time before the mills of Russia
can make goods that will equal the
American product in both quality ana
price, but low freight rate is always
a powerful leverage. In the meantime,
however, before the cotton goods or
Russia can be a great factor In the
market, the American article should go
on increasing its field of demand and
its popularity, until it obtains hold
which cannot be taken away even by
less cost Of transportation"
Regarding Mukden and Tatungkao
Mr.. Barrett says that their accessibit-
ty under the head of open ports Will
mean much more in few years thai
now.