The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-02-25

pointing out why our interest in the
war between Russia and japan should
be keen. says that our commerce with
the Far East is certain TO increase
with great rapidity. particularly as
soon as the Atlantic seahnard IL con-
nected with the Pacific by means of
the Panama canal Among other
things he says: America produces
the very things that a progressive
China will demand. For generations
China will demand from the rest of
the world the things that elsewhere
are regarded as necessaries of life
namely, articles of food and for cloth
ing. China, making increasing wages,
when opened for the worlds markets,
would pass from a relocating 10
Intoxicating nation. In the seaports
already the Chinese are buying -four
as fast as they can afford it.
"Tha United States. the great
wheat-growing nation, are already
sending great quantities and rap
idly increasing quantities Of -four
TO China. This quantity will
steadily increase with the ad-
vance of the wage scale, and
China, properly opened up, will
become the greatest wheat market of
the world In clothing, the Chinese
are great cotton wearers using prac-
tically no wool, and the number of
cotton garments is practically proper
tionaI to the wages, the method being
3 ha It CF
stuff"
Doubtless there is some truth IN
what Capt. Hobson says, but it looks
as If We were not gaining commerce
in the Far East as fast as we ought
to. 1t is true that there has been
great increase in our commerce with
Japan. but we have lost ground APP
parently in Manchuria, for instance.
Our consul at New Chwang, Henry b.
Miller, in an elaborate report to the
State Department, points out that
there are no American firms at Har-
bin, Manchuria, which is now the
headquarters of the Russians in the
war with Japan. In the stores Of that
thriving AND growing city there is
scarcely any American goods. Indeed,
the proportion Of American goods isn't
nearly as great as it was before Rus
sian influence became dominant in
Manchuria. Russia is supplying the
cotton goods from her factories and
oil from her refineries. Capt. Hobson
says there will be a great market for
American wheat in China. Doubtless
there is a market for American flour
there at the present time, but as a
matter of fact, are not Northern China
and Siberia going to produce all the
wheat the Chinese market can take?
Consul Miller says Manchuria is a
great wheat growing country, and that
the wheat is sold at the mills in Har
bin at 30 to 40 cents a bushel. Siberia
is also well adapted to the growing of
wheat. 1t looks therefore as If North
ern China and Siberia could produce
all the wheat needed by the Chinese
market. and, that. too, at much less
price than it can be grown in this
country
Japan is becoming a wonderful man
anu sue - ttDiG w
sell cotton goods in competition with
this country. Notwithstanding the fact
she has to import about all of her cot
ton. That is because labor is so cheap.
There does seem to be ground for the
view that the results of the war be-
tween Russia and japan, however the
war may turn out, will not be bene-
fetal to this country. If Russia wins
she will doubtless hold on to Manchu-
ria and will probably take Korea. In
deed, it wouldn't be surprising if she
would gradually reach out after the
greater part of China. She means to
hold for herself the trade of all the
country she takes.
On the other hand if Japan wins she
will seek to spread her influence not
only in Manchuria and Korea but
throughout China. BY means of her
influence the Chinese and Koreans will
become larger producers of both agri-
cultural products and manufactured
goods, and cheap labor will enable
them to hold their own markets and
to invade others. No doubt we shall
have great deal of commerce with
the Far East, no matter what the out
come of the war may be, but will it be
along lines we have been counting on?