The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-01-27
OUR PACIFIC TRADE
Immense Populations BOr-
dering on the Great Ocean.
SHOULD STUDY THEIR NEEDS
AIaska-Y Exposition 20
BE Held at Seattle VIII Furnish an
Opportunity for the Oceident ana
Orient 40 Get Together - POSI-
biIities Of Our Foreign Commerce.

Considerably more than half the people
Of the world live in the countries which
border on the Pacific Ocean. The latest
available statistics. furnished by the
United States Department Of Commerce
and Labor. give these countries. exclusive
OF the United States, an area of 17,Og6,060
square miles. and "a population of gJi,-
253, COO Their imports aggregate 81 SOB.
$4,000 annually, and their exports 81 $50
c42. 900. so that their total foreign trade is
50, 746. $4,000 OF this foreign Pacific trade
the UnAed States enjoys nearly one-fhh,
the total being S7lSoU,000 annually, of
which 1896 C00.o00 Is represented by imports
and S322. 000.000 by exports.
These figures ara given At the outset
with a view Of conveying an impression
OF the greatness OF the countries which
use the mightiest Of oceans as "a com
mon avenue of trade When one consid-
ers that the United States enjoys posi-
tional advantage over the countries OF
Europe being much nearer the countries
above specified. and that In spite Of this
advantage, cur country may boast OF only
about onc-nfth of the trade which these
countries have the possibilities OF an in
creased transatlantic business may be uu-
derstood in a general way.
1t may he asserted without fear Of sue
cessful contradiction that the Alaska-Yu-
k0n-Pacifc Exposition will bring the
shores of the Pacific together in trade.
This accomplishment viii be worth many
times the 100000 which the exposition
will have cost on opening day. 1t will
be an accomplishment greater than any
ever achieved before by an international
fair.
This bringing together Of the shores Of
the Pacific iu trade viii be made possible
only by interchange OF exhibits Of the
products Of each. The foreign exhibits
al the exposition viii be confined strict
~ to the products of countries bordering
on the Pacific ocean.
Trade of the Pacific.
The trade Of the Pacific in So far as
the United States is interested. may
roughly be divided into two classes. trade
with the east shore and trade with the
west shore. The countries which BE on
the east shore make up what is known
as the Orient and Oceaulca; those across
the sea from them are the republics of
Central and South America. Mexico. and
The Dominion Of Canada. The east shore
lands have nearly g09U0,00l population.
and annually buy E.JpG9,00 worth Of
products from other countries. OF this
total. twO-thirds is with Occidental couu-
tries. Il is thus seen that the Oriental
field is much more important than The
American.
II is evident 70 any one who has made
seven cursory Investigation Of the sir,l-
alton with regard to Oriental trade thst
knowledge of the market has given to Eu-
r0pean nations a tremendous advantage
over the United States Ia the tropical
Orient. by which is meant an Oriental
countries south OF Central China. which
has half the people and tw0-thirds OF the
imports Of ;he Oriental world. the i'm
ports aggregate Sl.01gofo10 annually
OF this. Europeans supply 65 per cent.
and are constantly increasing the total.
while Americans supply only I per cent.
and their total is Increasing grad
ually. il ut all Yet. practically an of
The imports drawn from Europe are of
nature that the United States can readily
produce. The 80 Der cent not accounted
for is taken up by trade with other parts
Of the Orient
This state af affairs. which certainly is
eXplainable only on the supposition that
the merchants OF our country are either
less capable or less fully informed trades
men than those OF Europe. Is one which
the Alaska-Yu kou-PaciticE Exposition man
agement has taken coEnizance Of and
has every nope of Temedyilg. II win be
vell 10 explain why, in the opinion OF the
experts who have studied the question
profoundly. Americans lag so shamefully
in the race FOR trade with the tropical
Orient
Way to Promote Commerce.
The American people, principally
through the lack Of knowledge of the Gus
toms and manner of living in the Orient.
have tried to sell 20 the people across
the Pacific the goods which would be ex-
celenty adapted TO the needs of the in
habitants OF Connecticut or Washington.
How can we most easily study the habits
and customs Of a people7 At great in
ternauonal exposition. such as that 10 be
held at Seattle in 1909 viii be- The ORR
ent Will send its wares. its products. its
people and Americans may study them at
first hand
Occidental manufacturers have for
years been offering goods which the ORR /
entail people did not want. They have
gone farther, too. IN that they have sent
representatives. 10 the lands across the
" m 4f,
showing them how 10 use Occidental prod- |
ucts and enjoy Occidental ways Of living. |
Il has been "a long and wearisoma task.
and it is apparent now that the struggle /
has been of little avail. Not one Oriental |
in ten thousand has been converted to !
Occidental ways. The manufacturers
must face the situation squarelv; they
must acknowledge that il is futile 10 try /
10 change IN a few years the customs of /
centuries. in q word. they. must SIM /
ply the goods the people of the Orient I
are accustomed to use, and which they
still demand
Cotton Goods in China.
The United States is making excellent
progress In trade with the section of the
Orient lying in the temperate zons-Japan /
and korea-but very little with the conn I
tries lying to the south. American cot I
ton Is exported to every part Of the
earth, but Americans have trouble in dis
posing Of their cotton goods in Csfna /
and the countries south because they do /
not make the sort required. Your Orien- /
tai buyer is used to a certain pattern. the
latest plaids and checks and figured goods 4
from New York do not interest him in 1
the least
In Japan and in North China. American /