Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-22

abroad. They were provided for by
congressional appropriation to investigate
our foreign trade Last year they visited
Central and South America, Canada, Mex
leo and Cuba, and also China and Japan.
One of our agents is now in Egypt, and he
will go thence to East India
Can you give me some idea as to how
these agents Work?'
They are under the direction of the
bureau of manufactures" said Maj. Car
son, "and they act according to the in
structions of the department. They are
told to investigate the industrial and COM
mercial conditions of possible markets and
the status of other nations in those mar
kets, with especial attention to advancing
the products and manufactures of the
United States. They have to inquire into
the products and manufactures of the peo-
pie of each country, the cost of produc-
ton, the prices at which things are sold,
nation that might be of value to our man.
ufacturers. In fact, their instructions
cover the gathering of all sorts of COM
mercial. industrial and financial informa-
ton such as is needed by our exporters
or those who manufacture for foreign
trade
Information for Our Cotton Mills.
Such reports we are gathering
through these agents are Of great value to
the Industries of the United States" con-
tinued the chief of the bureau of manu-
features. Take those we got to our cot
ton trade with China, for instance. BY our
instructions the agents collected samples of
every kind and pattern of cotton goods
imported there. They reported where each
pattern came from, how it was shipped
how sold and its price. They told how the
cotton was used, giving the quantities sold.
the popularity Of certain kinds and their
cost at wholesale and retail. The agents
sent In about 175 different kinds of goods,
with full details concerning them, includ-
ing all technical information regarding
the value of the manufactures"
But how could you get such matter to
manufacturers
I'VE did not send 1t to them direct, but
SO arranged 1t that 1t reached every cham
Der of commerce and board of trade in the
cotton manufacturing states. In the first
place we printed a description Of each kind
Of goods. giving the width, length and
weight. We also described its uses and the
methods Of putting the goods up for sale,
as well as the wholesale and retail prices.
This was printed card half the size
of sheet Of foolscap. Below the printed
matter was a photograph of the goods.
showing the pattern, and on the bottom
was pasted sample of the material We
sent out altogether about eight or ten thou
sand of such cards, giving full information
as to the cotton trade Of China. They at
tracted a great deal of attention and the
factors and exporters from everywhere
came to see them. We expect to do the
same. wherever 1t is practicable. for every
branch of American industry, and that as
to every country in which a market for our
goods may be created"
American Cottons in China.
How about the present market for our
cottons in China, Maj. Carson?' 1 asked.
ut is large and rapidly growing. Our
total exports of cotton piece goods last year
amounted to about $4,000 600, and of that
nearly $34. 600, 600 worth went to China. We
sell most of the white and gray goods and
also the blue cottons which the Chinese
dyed and printed goods. They have been
pushing that trade for generations and
have established resident agents with
branches to sell their product. AS for us.
we have no agents to speak of and our
goods have to sell themselves"
How much cotton did England send to
China last year|'
'.Her sales amounted to s5O,OOo,OOo against
our $34 600 600. She sold more cotton goods
to China than we sold to the entire world
outside the United States, and that was of
manufactures for which we furnished the
raw materials. The possibilities of our
cotton industry are shown by the fact that
bale of cotton worth $500 If made into
handkerchiefs will sell for many thousand
Of capital and labor. We ought to manu-
facture these things ourselves and do the
exporting Last year England exported
cotton goods to the amount Of $345, 0OO, 600
a Asia !w0-thirds of that amount went to
Other Openings in China
What other openings did your special
agents find in Gilman
They reported upon many things" said
the chief of the bureau of manufactures.
1.-The Chinese world is just opening. 1t has
4OO, 600 600 inhabitants and with the adep-
ton of western civilization, which now
seems possible, 1t is to be land of rail-
roads and modern machinery. The chances
for American trade are enormous and they
enter into every branch of industry. There
are opportunities of all kinds. and that not
only as to the future but as to the present
During their stay our agents collected
samples of every kind Of boot and shoe
worn in the empire. They took the shoes
as whole and in the parts ready for as
sembling and shipped them to US. Those
samples have been sent to various shoe
manufacturers throughout the United
States In the order of their application, and
they have also been shown at the shoe and
leather fair at Chicago. Our agents had
samples of Chinese wheelbarrows made and
sent here. with full description of them,
their use and their cost and selling prices.
Wheelbarrows are the freight cars OF
China, and they are used by the tens of
thousands throughout the empire. 1t is
possible that a great industry might be
built up in manufacturing them here and In
sending them, knocked down, across the
Pacific We have done the same as to the
jinriksha the little carriage pulled by men,
which is In common use In Japan and other
parts Of the far east.I
FRANKG. CARPENTER.