The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1905-06-02
Sec'y. Shaw on Our Export Trade.
Interview by Harold Bolce in the June Booklovers
Magazine.

we grow three IOuItnS VI lhS
cotton of the world, aud it re-
quires no travelling salesman tc
dispose of our surplus. The
world needs it and comes after ii
and is willing to furnish the
ships. If American harvest
should fail to follow seed-tlme
for six consecutive months, the
world would starve; therefore, it
requires no foreign agent to sell
the surplus produced in the Miss
issippi Valley. Now, as in the
days of Joseph, the hungry ones
of earth go in their own convey
ances to any land that has corn
to sell. Thus far American for
eign commerce has been develop
ed with very little effort. The
world has brought its wares to
our doors and urged them upon
lis, and has come and still comes
back for our surplus cotton and
for our food products.
But these conditions will not
always last. For many years we
have exported about ten per cent
of the gross products of our
farms. This will not continue
indefinitely. Our population will
very soon increase relatively fas-
ter than new lands can be brought
under cultivation or the produc-
t1veness of our soil increased.
Under favorable conditions this
will work very greatly to the adj
vantage of the agricultural
States, but this ever-increas1ng
population must find employment
if they are to eat bread.
One of the problems, there
fore, for the food growing belt is
to furnish employment to those
who only consume food. These
increasing millions will not seek,
and if they do they will not find,
employment on the farms, They
must find employment in the
factories if they are to be beneti-
cial to those who do occupy farms.
And that they may find employ
ment in factories, foreign mar
kets for factory products must be
found. The world never has
gone. and never will go, after
manufactured goods as it does
after food and raw cotton. 1t
will require statesmen, foreign
agents, foreign warehouses, and
a merchant marine to dispose of
our surplus manufactures. We
will not always sell fifty per cent
of our surplus to Great Britain,
France and Germany and buy
only twelve per cent of their sur
plus. And if we ever get our leg
itimate share of the trade of
South America, Oceanica, and
South Africa, we will have to go
after it and go in American ships.
We need never expect to send our
wares to market in our neighbours
conveyance and fare as well as he
who OWNS the conveyance and has
similar wares to sell. Secretary
Shaw believes that the coming
economic issue before the Ameri-
can nation will be the question of
how to increase our export trade
in manufactures.
That many adulterated foods
are being sold in Vermont is
shown by the first report made at
the state laboratory of hygiene at
Burlington which has been max
ing examinations under the pro-
visions of the pure food law pass
ed at the, last session of the legis-
lature. .-S1nce the law went into
effect one hundred and eighteen
different food products have been
analysed, and of that number
seventy-seven have been found to
be composed of entirely different
substances, than were represented.
The products examined and the
number found below standard
were as follows: Maple sugar,
twenty-nine specimens, of which
five were adulterated. OF this
number two were syrups bottled
by concerns outside the state and
sent back here for sale. Baking
powder, sixteen specimens, eight
of which were below standard.
Oysters, twelve specimens, of
which two were found to contain
preservatives. By mixing pre-
servative with oysters the use of
ice is done away with and oysters
of any age can be sold.
Vanilla extract, eight speci-
mems, four of which were found
to be entirely artificial, while one
was pure but very weak. Coffee,
four specimens, all of which were
found to be coffee. Lemon ex-
tracts, nineteen specimens, six
teen of which were bad, three of
them being entirely artificial. /
When the bulletin is issued this
month the names of all the con-
Germs involved will be made pub
lie and unless their goods are
from the market pro- I
will follow.
A Soldiers Grave.