The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-06-22
Prom citing Oriental Trade.

Within al fortnight the board CON
vened at the state department In Wash
| 1ngton to consider and recommend new
regulations under the act providing for
| the reorganization Of the consular serv-
ice will make it's report. This will be
of general interest. In Minneapolis 1T
| will appeal not only to the business men
interested in European trade, but more
especially to those who have followed
the trend of commerce westward and
have kept themselves informed as ito
new developments in the transit Pacific
trade.
Unless war or other calamity unfore-
seen shall arise, the next decade will be
marked by a great increase in com
merce between our country and Japan
and China. The effect will be felt
upon the Pacific coast, but interior
manufacturing cities will share in it.
+ Minneapolis, with rates naturally
against. her in this particular, must ex-
|peet the Pacific coast mills to get the
inner trackin> the race for new -four
business developing, but there will be
times, no Doubt when Minneapolis
high-grade -four will be able to COM
pete, notwithstanding the geographical
handicap, and there, will be other de-
velopment in the far east into which
Minneapolis may in same degree enter.
Only recantly Minneapolis business
man made a long trip into interior
Japan. travelling on foot or in palan-
quin, observing the customs Of the peo-
pie and studying their habits and their
needs, while. the president Of the Min
neapolis Chamber !, of Commerce spent
some time in the larger cities Of China.
Theirs were the observations, not Of
theorists, but Of practical men. s Mr..
Smith sfonnd. a great field and Fcame
back convinced that the next genera
ton of business men in the n United
States will do an enormous business
with China. At present the United
States is buying from the southern
Asiatic countries about .. $SO,000,000
worth a year and is selling these couu-
tries only about 12,500,0 900 worth. We
supply about 10 per cent Of the i'm
ports of the Philippines, 20: per cent Of
those of China proper and 81 per
cent of those of Japan, but there are
populous countries in the east that buy
only l per cent of their total imports
from our country,
: Mr.. Smith commented upon the OPP
cportunity for improvement in, our con-
sular service, This is a complaint Of
long standing. 1t is gratifying to note
that the old conditions are passing.
The consular officer who was Of politi-
cal value at home and incompetent in
office is Disappearing Germany, Eng
land, France, the Netherlands and other
European competing countries have
men in consular offices trained for the
work, and the American business man
cannot get the inside against them.
The president has favored the reform
of the consular service and has worked
for it from the first. The board of
will add such changes
in detail as will finish the work. and
there is everything to indicate that as
oilr intimacy with the orient increases
competent men will be found in all Of
fetal position to assist our exporters III
securing business, and that in time this
condition will obtain not only in the
orient, but wherever, an American; tries
to do business the world over.