The Hawaiian gazette., 1908-05-12
AMERICAS TRADE
WITH JAPANESE
advertiser Correspondence, Copyright
by Frederic ]. Haskin)

advertiser Correspondence, Copyright
by Frederic ]. Haskin)
YOKOHAMA. April ss,--war. or any
other cause. which would INTERRUPT,
trade relations between Japan and the
United states would Immediately par
alyze the internal business economy Of
this country. The United States is
Japan's best customer. and takes one-
third of ali it has to sell. These eS-
ports which 80 to American markets
are almost all the product of Japanese
labor. and the Increasing trade with
the United States means more employ
ment at higher wages. Any Interrupt
ton Of this trade will spell disaster to
the common people of Japan, and il
is not too much to say that, ina mate
rial way. Japan's very life depends
upon the maintenance of 5000 CONNER
cial relations with the United States.
| The folly Of a Japanese governmental
policy which might tend TO lessen the
export business to America is too APP
parent to require notice.
| Yokohama ranks third among the
ports of the world in the amount OF
exports shipped to the United states.
Paris being first and London second.
The most important item OF export is
silk. This product strikingly illustrates
the japanese dependency upon the
United States, because the recent Wall
Street panic was more disastrous in
! its results in Japan than at home, ow-
ing TO the falling off in demands for
raw silk for the New Jersey factories.
The warehouses here are choked with
bales of silk that long ago should
have been en- their way TO America.
Capital to the extent of $So,000,00O is
tied UP in this way.
I Notwithstanding this temporary dull
ness. the future of the silk business in
Japan is bright. If politics or war do
not interrupt, the United States will
renew its old demand and Japan will
I prosper. Domestic conditions in Japan
are peculiarly adapted to the success
/ full production of silk. In most silk
countries only one crop of mulberry
leaves can be obtained in a season, but
in Japan there are three crops. Large
tracts of rough volcanic land, entirely
worthless for other purposes, are
adapted to raising mulberry shrubs
and eventually will be put to this use.
Much of this land is located around
the base of Fujiyama, Japan's sacred
mountain Cheap labor is another ad-
vantage Japan. enjoys over other silk
producing countries. Here the farmer
raises silk worms as a side line, the
women and children gathering the
leaves and feeding the ravenous little
worms that make the silk.
Tea is the second item of Importance
in the exports from Japan to America.
but the future OF this business is not
so promising. For several years past
there has been a marked falling of in
the volume OF the shipments. and there
is still a general feeling of depression
in the trade. The causes of this stag
nation seem to be the strong competi-
ton OF CeylOn and Formosa, and the
unfair business methods OF the Japan
ese firms.
Although japanese porcelain has
market in all parts of the world, the
United States is much larger con-
sumner than any other country. in fact,
almost half the porcelain shipped from
the port Of Yokohama goes to America.
This is another industry that probably
will have a large development because
OF its adaptation TO local conditions.
The artistic temperament Of the Jap
anese wo-kmen makes them very skill
full decorators, and wages are extremely
low. because the business is conducted
as a household industry. While most
of the work is done by hand, one large
machinery plant has been installed
This modern factory employs four
thousand operatives. and its entire ost-
put goes 10 the American market in
competition with the cheap products of
Germany.
Most of the tooth brushes used in
the United States are made by women
and girls in country homes in the vicin-
ity Of Osaka The bone used in the
manufacture of these brushes is
brought from Chicago. the wood from
China, and the bristles from Russia.
The reason that this has become the
center of such an industry. in the abb
sence of all the raw materials needed,
is the abundance of cheap labor. Work
ers may be had for ten cents day.
Another branch of home industry
that Is steadily increasing is the man
ufacture of certain kinds Of linen goods
The material for these articles is i'm
ported from Great Britain, sent TO the
country districts of Japan, where men,
women and children do the embroidery
and drawn-work on it, after which it
frequently finds it's way back to the
country Of its origin This work is
very highly priced for ladies' waists,
and the country people who tediously
work out the exquisite patterns earn
from five TO fifteen cents day. While
this may strike an American as star
walton wages. it is quite the contrary
in rural Japan. The natives are very
deft in this kind Of needle work and
their habits of living are extremely
frugal. When all the members of a
large family are given employment
their total income rises to an amount
that is considerable, when Judged by
Oriental standards. About $1,000 900
worth Of this work finds its way into
the United States every year.
a new item in the exports from Japan
70 the United States is lumber. There
are extensive forests Of hard woods,
both in northern and southern Japan,
and lumber from them can be laid
down in California in large quantities