Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-02-09
COTTON IN CHINA
The Demand is for Very
Cheap Products.
When Cloth Prices Rise They
Buy Yarns.
What Americans Must Do to Get and
Hold the Market.

China is considered the more certain it
is that American manufacturers must
pay strict attention to the special
needs here in cotton goods if they are
to hold the trade they have, not to
speak of expanding il. That ther-
has been Il decrease in the use Of some
American goods, such as sheetings and
T cloths, is unsatisfactory, but as d
matter Of fact the real need Of China
III the way of cotton goods has yet
scarcely been appreciated in the United
States, much less have there been eff
forts made to meet il. Goods Of tn,
class now sent are in some respects al
most luxurics to the Chinese. Thrr.
viii be IN increasing demand for this
grade of goods in the future, and as
the purchasing power of the people in
creascs the demand will be likely to
grow at a much more rapid rate. At
the same time the mass of Chinese
people are using little or no foreign
made goods, American or Others 1im-
WAS when Il large portion of the popu-
lation took what it could get i'll III VI.
way of forcism-made goods, ana dt.
Without onytiing when il was unabl.
to buy such goods. lii the past felv
years, however, the situation has
changed amazingly. The change is of
permanent significance.
Ia 1903 the total value Of cotton
goods imported into China. according
To the customs returns. was Sge.O2 100.
AS compared With 1902 The imports OF
fancy goods Increased from I,251 ST
To- sl",I2l.l12; plain fabrics. shirtimgs.
Sh"etinSS, jeans. drill cloths. ana the
like, fell from l9,0ll.30H pieces valued at
S4", iii.@+2 in 100. to 13.S3I.506 pieces
Valued at S-3.33H So, IN 1892. At the
same time cotton yarns increased from
22f,%l434 pounds in 1902 10 go, O2J llS
pounds in 1909, am increase. Of l. per
cent. III quantity iii spite of the in
Creased prices shown by - per cent in
GREASE in value.
The high price Of cotton in the United
States and abroad generally last year
resulted in the decrease of American
cotton exports to China. ANA the pres
ent prices in the United States are hav-
ing the same effect this year, for. while !
the figures for 1904 are not yet COM |
l,ltue, il is evident from the data to be |
Ead that there is the same general
trend in The cotton trade. The practi-
cal meaning OF the matter is simply
that when foreign made cotton goods
get t"o dear the Chinese peasant buys
cotton yarn ana weuves his own com
mon fabrics Tor shirts, tunics, bed
clothes. ANA the many purposes for
which such grades Of cotton goods are
used.
The increase in the importations OF
cotton yarn. aS above noted, tells only
Z part Of the story. Practically all OF
the cotton manufactures of China run
to yarns. and tile reason is that the
Chinese consumer finds it cheaper TO
weave his own cloth from The manu-
featured yarn than it is to buy the
Cl0th from the foreigner. According to
the figures given by the statistical sec
retaly of the imperial maritime Gus
toms in his annual report of 1903. cot
ton yarn IN 1872 formed per cent. of
the total value of al cottonS imported.
IN 1852 il Was 20 per cent: in 1892 il
had risen 10 l. per cent, and in 1902. III
spite of the fact that local cotton mills
in almost every part of China are
turning out immense quantities of cot
ton yarn. the amount of cotton yarn
imported to the total of cotton imports
WAS 81 per cent. In 1908 the percent
age rose to -. and there is abundant
reason to count upon a still higher per-
in 1904. The loss of trade
shown by these figures has been felt BY
al nations except Japan. The in
creased Importation of drill cloths,
sheetincs. I cloths, cotton flannel ari
other cotton cloths from Japan was
marked ana still continues. Moe
over. the increased Importation of cot
ton yarn has also been to the benefit OF
Japan. Gc.332l3oo pounds having been
imported in 1892 and lOS541OO pounds
in 1893. Present indications are. how
ever. that there will BE- 4 falling of in
the innorts Of japanese yarn this year.
Th" possibilities of cotton production
i China me- cnormous. For many
years the staple has been produced in 4:
Inc empire ut 20 intS covering nearly
half Of its immense territory. Much
If this land is not suitable for cotton
raising. but the amount that is suit
able. between hills. Nhera the soil s
constantly being rc'l ,hlttat"d. ard in
the river f,loihs r'h"rr more intelligent
Wou,I bring Soil Of great
fertility into use. j. certainly Sufficient
To sur.hIy the li.cdS Of China and per-
"it u" raising If n!"ch for EXPORT.
IRE t.m:irn however, ut the present |
irnn ard. ptrhIis. fnr long time in
He future rcnnot afford to raise cot
Ton Oh most Of this Land. which IS re-
jUirci for fool to suprn't TIE impcHTH
nOpu'"'i3l r1v..ring il. Imported foLd
u Il ~. costly ti.2n imported cotton
- lp',-r os; this continues &C. fe tie case
-,tiaa Of Course. Will buy q great deal