The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1904-01-30
AUTHORITIES
WASHINGTON DECLARE THE
TRADE MUST SOON END.
Home Product in Orient Is Being Util-
observation-disclosures Flour Will
Compete in China.

Advices from Washington are to the
effect that the flour trade OF the Pa
cifc coast with Manchuria is doomed,
and it is the belief of the United States
consuls in the Orient and the officials
of the department of commerce at the
national capital that the sooner the
people OF the Pacific coast recognize
it xhe better it will be for them.
1t is less than four years ago that
the Puget sound shippers and the
| farmers of the Pacific Northwest be-
came earnestly igeterested in and con-
/ fdent Of the Manchurian trade, Puget
sound steamships We're pioneers in the
regulSr carrying trade between the
| West coast ami the open ports OF Man
| chur3a and Siberia. Here was new
field, second only to Alaska, perhaps.
| in its important relation to the com
merce of Washington and Oregon. But
conditions have changed rapidly.
The authorities at Washington do
not douh7 that a large trade can be
and Nam hula. but they declare it will
.not be q flour trade or AN oil trade
! or a lumber trade. Tbs, important fac
/ tor is the rapidly increasing produc-
ton OF these articles in Siberia and
Manchuria
| The safest comes from Mt. Miller the
United States consul at Newchwang.
He says the Pacific coast newspapers
do not understand The situation, and
he ssag s il in this language:
Il have suggested that this country
(Mauchuria) offered better field for
the sale of Touring miD and agricul-
tursil machinery than for our -four, and
my recent Investigations confirm be-
yoN5 all question my previous views.
The situation here seems to be con-
tinua lily misunderstood, especially by
the Pacific coast press, ana they refer
to trse mpossibilIty OF Russian COM
petition with our Asiatic Hour trade
by bringing flour from ODESSA, and in
sist that Russian expansion on the Pa
cifis means an Increased demand for
our ciour in Manchuria. l hope this
lis er1Ie, but careful examination of
ieverY feature Of thu conditions leads
flour trade in Siberia and -AIanchuria
Will fse at an end.
Not only will the Pacific northwest
lose its flour trade with Munchuria
and Siberia, if present conditisuls con-
tinue. but it is believed that the ex-
pOrters Will have to fight for tine trade
in China and other parts of the Orient
In fact, Mr.. Miller. than whom there
is no better authority says:
I fear that within three years flour
from Siberia and Manchusia VIII be
pressing hard upon our flour trade in
other parts of China.
/ There mas been a marvellous devel-
opment of the Touring industry in
! Manchuria and Siberia in the last II
| months. and The production of wheat is
keeping pace. The soil of Manchuria
! is a wheat soil. and the climate is a
wheat climate. All the conditions are
almost ideal. The Russians are push
| ing ahead and they are assisted at
every turn by paternalistic govern
merr
! Another feature of the situation
| which IS not encuura eing to our eX-
| porters is that low grades of flour are
acceptable in Manchura and China.
The ffouG mills at Hardin are turning
out secOG d-rate and third-rate -four
and the product finds a ready market
In fact, the Manchurian flour is of four
grades, and even the fourth grade is
successful in The local market.
The officials of the department of
commerce think that the thing for
Western exporters of flour and wheat
to do is to make sure of their mar
kets for these products in other parts
of the Orient, in anticipation of the
competition that is certainly coming