The San Francisco call., 1904-02-15

zines are not for sale and do not come
here, unless ordered from home. Prac-
tically all the books are of English
print and are very expensive.
A paper-bound book which can be
bought at home for from 10 cents to
25 cents C Jsts 81 so, Mexican; or 70
cents gVld. l asked a member Of one
OF the book firms why he did not
bring in some Of the cheap American
books. He answered: We are
British firm and prefer to handle
British goods. On the other hand, an
agent of an American manufacturer
said TO me: would as quickly put
my goods into the hands Of a German,
Englishman or any other foreigner
as into the hands of an American. 1
have no nationality in business
The shNrtsightedness of this arises
from the fact that those very agents
TO whom hc gave his products for
sale have a national feeling in their
business. and always, on even terms,
push the products of their own ooun-
try. English prefer to do business
with English. Germans with Germans
and French with French. but Ameri
cans in this part of the world are
lacking in national business pride and
have suffered for it. No European Will
sell an American manufacture unless
he can make much more money out
of it than he could from similar goods
from his own country If American
manufacturers expect TO handle this
market as their situation entities them
TO do, they must be represented here
by Americans. A long step toward
this would be the exposition.
L might multiply instances of
American business which is done here
by men of other nationalities. A lead
ing American commercial body is to-
day represented in China by a Ger
man-aA able, scientific man, but his
friends. his thoughts and his ambi-
tions are all German. Our steel manu-
features are all represented here by
firms OF foreign nationality, as is also
true of our steamship lines. The bulk
of our cotton goods is handled by
firms of other nationality. Even some
of our American firms are officered by
EngIishmen; and 1 was told within the
week by the head salesman Of an
American firm, himself an English
man. that none but the coarsest prints
were made in America-that it was
necessary to go to England for fine
prints"
TRADE FIELD OF CHINA.
John Barrett, ex-United States Min
ister TO Siam, speaking Of trade possi-
bilities I'm the Far East. said: China
presents to-day not only the most i'm
portant but the most interesting field
of trade expansion and exchange not
yet extensively exploited and appre-
ciated by American manufacturers,
exporters and merchants. The entire
Far East, from Singapore and Bang
kok in the south. Yokohama and Vlad-
ivostok in the north, with its harbor-
indented coastline Of 1000 miles and its
population Of over 500 900, facing the
Pacific and looking to the east direct
lv opposite our American Pacific shore.
looking to the west affords a mighty
commercial opportunity awaiting our
best efforts.
However much we may deplore the
war between Japan and Russia il is a
condition not a theory that confronts
us and this letter deals with business
not sentiment. Russia will probably
be too busy TO bother herself about
trade conditions in Northern China and
Japan is not considering a commercial
invasion Of China just now. The con-
test VIII Of necessity increase the pur-
chase Of war supplies and both ma
tions will look TO us for what food
they cannot supply themselves and one
reason why they will do this is that
the superlative quality Of the subsis-
fence stores furnished the American
army in China excited the admiration
OF the allied armies.
"As one writer put it, the advertise
ment given American foods by the