Evening star., 1905-11-06
Experts of Electrical Supplies.

sbo,Id like to call attention to the IN
sfc,iscant exports of electrical supplies,
which is the topic of recent dispatch
from Mr. Burril, special agent OF the De
nar+uent of Commerce and Labor, who is
now in Shanghai. He says that httle mas
been done for China in introducing elec-
tricitv and declares that capitalists VINO
sael. GOOD investments manufacturers OF
electrical supplies and electrical engineers
will find an unusual opportunity aWaltlns
them He states that there is not bfahcl
or agency of any of the large eiectrlcai
SUNNY companies of the United States IN
the entire Chinese empire
..C,hina has enjoyed less development
along civil and electrical engineering llhes
than any other country of importance,
saws Mr. BuIrill. and presents heId
which has evidently appealed to German,
British anl japanese firms, for they are on
the ground, although fnefflcientiy repre-
sented and poorly equipped to handle
business which has offered, and will con-
tinue to present. great possibilities for our
home engineers and manufacturers, If they
will attack the proposition with the same
energy and business ability that character
ICES their operations in the United States
Mr.. Burrill might make similar com
ments upon the trade In iron and steel,
narticuIarly in railway construction sup
plies Millions OF dollars worth of that
sort of merchandise is now being imported
from Europe and the demand will continue
to improve even more rapidly in the imme-
date future.
The falling off in the exports of -four has
been due to the decreased demand for sup
plies by the Russian and japanese armies.
Exports to Japan.
The increase in exports from the United
States to Japan during the, last three years
has been quite rapid as that to China,
the total for the eight months ending Au-
gust 81 1905, being $50. 174.6S2 as against
1G7727 III during the corresponding period
of 1904 and s12. 753925 in 1903. The great
est increase has been in raw cotton. We
shipped 324 ,66S bales to Japan during the
past eight months, valued at SIT, ,434 ,047
while during the previous year the total
was only Al, ,295 bales, valued at 81, $50, 1893,
which indicates that the Japanese mills
have resumed operations since hostilties
ceased. There has been a large increase
in the shipments of flour to Japan, the
total for eight months being 759,S06 barrels
as against Cal SEQ in 1904 and 643525 in 1908
Few people realize the future, or even the
present value of the Chinese market to the
United States and the ease by which a
large part of 1t may be secured for this
country. But we cannot expect to slap
the Chinese in the face and then sell them
a case Of goods. No other market is so
well worth cultivating; none offers such
enormous possibilities, and none can be
secured with such little effort But if our
merchants and manufacturers expect to
have commercial relations with any for
eign people, we will have to treat them
with respect and courtesy. The Chinese
are a primitive people in some respects, but
they are adopting modern ideas very rapid
ly; and the alarm that was created among
our shipping interests by the threat of boy
colt has disclosed to the Chinese that they
already have in their hands a weapon with
which they can punish us we deserve.
Modification Of Exclusion Laws.
The disposition Of our government to treat
them decently, as shown in the negotia-
ton of the new treaty; the change in the
policy OF our immigration bureau during
the present administration. and the speech
recently made by President Roosevelt at
Atlanta will bring about better feeling
for US among the Chinese people. And II
1t Is true. as reported. that the President
thority to waive the remainder of the in
demnity due the United States on account