Los Angeles herald., 1905-07-25
FORMER CONSUL BELLOWS.
TALKS OF TRADE
TIME TO STUDY NEEDS
n Americans Desire to Compete With
Other Nations They Must Bet
ter Understand Conditions
In the Orient

Yokohama, Japan, appointed under the
administration of President Mckinley,
has returned to the United States and
after two weeks visit has decided to
make his home in Japan.
For five years a close student Of
American trade in the Orient, and oc-
cupied during that period in furthering
the interests of the United States, It's
merchants and its manufacturers, Cen
era1 Bellows has returned to this coun-
try convinced that a great future
awaits American moneyed interests in
the Orient, II they will but seek it In the
right way.
zone of the most reticent nations on
the earth, Japan's demands upon Rus
sia for the settlement of the war will
not be known until the peace ENJOYS
begin their sessions" said General Bel
lows last night at the Hinman, where
he is staying with Mrs. Bellows. II
believe the demands will be generous
enough, SO that Russia may be willing
to end the war, If she so desires.
Japan is not asking for peace at any
price, Of course, but wishes the war to
end on terms which will protect her
safety.
"It will take Japan long time to get
over the war from a financial stand
point. Putting aside the money view of
the situation, the mikado's kingdom is
anxious to see cessation of hostilities
because the Japanese are not naturally
a warlike people.
Not Greedy for Territory
"All past assertions to the contrary,
Japan has no desire to build up Japa-
nese supremacy in the Orient. The
country is not aggressive and does not
seek territory. Within the territory
that is to become hers the ports will be
opened on equal termsc to all nations.
Japan does hope, however, to reign
supreme in the Orient as manufac-
turing people and there are strong rea-
sons to believe that she will see her
wish gratifed. Cheap labor will here
play it's part. With the coming of
peace Japan will do a great deal of
manufacturing for Manchuria and
Korea. This, in fact, is already under
way.
'The westerner will not find it al
fruitful field in this regard. The ebb
in the amount of imported manufac-
tured articles is already apparent and
the flood of imported raw materials
grows larger with each succeeding
month.
Japan looks to the United States |,
with only the highest regard. Two
years ago, acting entirely upon their
own incentive, the Japanese erected a
monument to Commodore Perry, who
first opened up the ports of the king
dom to foreign trade.
1--WE are selling them at this time
about 81 per cent of all the flour they
consume, most of their engines, ma
chinery. oil and raw cotton, and in
return are taking rs per cent of their
silk and tea.
'If the United States is to see its
merchants hold the upper hand in the
contest with German and English COM
petitors, 1t will be necessary for our
merchants to send representatives to
the country to study the needs and
conditions Of the people. Other ma
tions are doing this. The same propo-
sition holds equally good with China,
where the possibilities for trade with
In the next twelve months will be sim
ply enormous.
Granting that for some time to
come Japan will need our manufac-
tured goods in large quantities, par
ticularly those made in the New Eng
land states, I see the great necessity
for the growth of factories on the Pa
cific coast. Now it is almost as cheap
to send the goods around by the Suez
canal to Shanghai as it is to send them
across the American continent by
rail to San Francisco and from there
by ship to the Orient.
Bar to Manufacturers
''Westerners will not find Japan a |
fruitful field for the manufacture of
their goods. The question of land own
ership at once arises, as it is contrary
to the law of the land for an alien to |
hold real estate. The country needs |
foreign money to develop it's factories, |
mines and other ntaural resources but
capital will not go where it cannot at
tach itself to the soil.
"As a nation. the country's CONNER
cial honor is low and the sacredness
Of contract does not appeal to any
but the larger and more powerful
firms, the owners of which have come
in contact with the western idea.
"The Pacific coast states win find a
broad field in the Orient for the dis
posal Of canned fruits and meats, lum-
Der and iron. Japan has some iron de-
posits, but the country viii find it
cheaper to import the raw material
than to produce 1t. A government
foundry is now almost completed and
the way is open for the American mine
owner to sell Japan large quantities
OF iron. II there are large deposits of