Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-02-09
Gives Them What They Want.

Maine is interested in cotton manu-
featuring and anything which affects
the cotton market affects Maine. either
directly or indirectly. II there is
brisk demand for the grades we do not
manufacture, it is likely to be reflect
ed in the trade in which We are more
vitality interested. ANY discussion OIL
the condition of the cotton trade and
markets therefore concerns Maine and
Maine business men. The Portland
Economic Club Monday evening listen
cd to a most intelligent discussion Of
the condition of the cotton trade in the
Orient by Oscar =. Austin, chlef OIL
the bureau of statistics of the depart
ment Of commerce and labor.
He explained the remarkable railing
off in 1907 and 1908 in the exports Of
cotton goods to the Orient by point
ing out that in 1905 and 1906 there
was buying both by Japan and China,
far in excess of the consuming power
of the cotton goods market in the case
of the latter, and on account of the
war with Russia in the case of the
former. Thus in 1907 and 1908 there
was a Suspension of purchases which
made it arDear that the bottom had
dropped out OF the Chinese trade, when
in reality, an average of the four years
mentioned will show a very healthy
condition.
But Mr. Austin believes that it is far
below what it should be because there
are 800, 900 600 people in the Orient VINO
import goods to the value of S2,oooeoo'-
0Oo annually, w!o consume enormous
quantities of cotton goods and VINO
would prefer American made goods II
they were manufactured to suit their
tastes ard needs The United States
supplies but 6 per cent of the total
imports into the Orient from occldental
countries. When it is known that cot
ton goods to the amount of $500 oo0'oOo
are imported, the possibilities OF the
cotton trade are better understood.
Mr.. Austin was not at loss for a rea-
son for the small part we play in the
Oriental cotton market He says:
The explanation of this remark
able fact, that the greatest cottoh-
producing country of the Wof!u
SAMPLES such an extremely small
share Of cottons imported by the
Oriental peoples, lies in the fact
that the American manufacturer
docs not make, and is apparently
unwilling to make, his cotton
cloths Of the weight, texture. color
and patterns required by the Orlen-
tai people. Practically two-thlrds
of the Oriental peoples live in a
tropical or sub-tropical climate,
and they require cotton goods OF
an extremely light. oren texture,
and of lengths. patterns and col
ors peculiar to the customs OF the
various peoples Of the various sec
tons. These tropical. Oriental peo-
pics will not buy the heavy, plain
cotton goods made by the mills of
the United States, the only section
of the Orient willing to buy
American cottons being North
China with climate similar to
that of the United States. The
fact that the great bulk of the
tropical, Oriental people demand
goods suited to their peculiar eli
matte conditions and local tastes
and customs is recognized by the
European manufacturers of cot
tons. who set aside portions Of
their mills and time to manufac-
ture goods to suit the local tastes
and requirements of each of the
various Oriental countries and sec
tons, and by thus manufacturing
goods to suit the local require
ments have obtained almost eX-
elusive possession of this enor-
nous market for cotton goods, sup
plying 90-odd per cent. of that mar
ket with goods manufactured from
raw cotton bought in the United
States: while our own manufac-
crs, with mills located between the
cotton fields and the coal mine,
supply hut three per cent. of that
total. because of their failure to
supply goods of the type demanded