El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-03-08

marvels at the vast quantities of cotton
produced in these districts
The region here described supports
greater number of people in proportion
to area than any other part OF the
world save perhaps Belgium Yet the
amount of foreign goods consumed By
these teeming millions is so small as
be hardly worth mentioning But the
resources of the country are enormous
and before long the building Of rail-
roads already projected viii bring II
into commercial touch with the out
side world Under present conditions
the transportation of merchandise
costs Z cents per tOn-mile, which, OF
course. is prOhibitive.
It should not be imagined that the
people of the undiscovered country
in the interior Of China are reluctant
to accept foreign ideas, or foreign
wares. On the contrary. they are eager
to buy the latter, whenever an oppor-
tunity offers. They want monographs
with Chinese tunes. fancy cotton and
wooden goods. kerosene lamps. glass
ware, pony saddles and brides, cutlery,
watches and clocks There is a great
opportunity TO sell them medicinal
drugs For example. they are acqualnt-
ed with nothing so simple and effec-
tive as Epson salts tsulphate OF mag
neSia). or bOracic eyewater. A fortune
awaits the individual who. duly bear
ing in mind the Oriental taste in re-
gard to cOlOrs. shall design a pleasing
substitute for the tiny embroidered
shoes now being generally discarded by
Chinese ladies.
Millions in China Never Taste Rice
There is a long accepted belief that
all the Chinese people depend upon
rice as their main article of diet and
that wheat products are only gradually
finding favor with them. This is
measurahly true as regards the region
south Of the Yangtze, though even
there, when rice is dear and flour cheap
large quantities Of the latter are con-
Sumed. and much wheat IS eaten at all
times by the people that can afford it.
But to the population north of the
YangtZe rice is a luxury.
There are millions in central and
northern China that never tasted rice.
and there are more people in those
sections who eat wheat products than
the entire population Of the United
States. Wheat was known there cen
turtles before Columbus discovered
America. It is not possible. indeed TO
raise much rice in the northern pro-
vince Of China because the climate is
too cold, and in the central and west
ern provinces the soil is unsuitable
Mr. Arnold estimates that at least 4
100000, 900 bushels of winter-sOwn i
wheat will be produced in central and /
western China this year, and the bulk /
of the crop will be sold for not more /
than 80 cents a bushel Much of the
land formerly devoted to the culture of J
the opium poppy is being planted in !
wheat :
Up to ten years ago all the flour
made in China was produced by prim- !
tive native mills and family grinding
stones. At the present time modern
rolling mills are being Fapidl- intro /
duced and already they are turning out I
the milling industry is encouraging
the raising of wheat in adjacent dis !
tricts. and already the Shanghai mills /
are selling flour in the Chinese mar
Z Of ] MOI
price One-third less that the cost OF 4
an equivalent article imported from the /
United states.
American Imports Drop Off.
Thus it is not at all surprising that
imports OF American flour are dropping
off at an alarming rate. and there is 7
prospect OF an entire loss of the profit I
able market l-nlch the mills OF our Pa 7
cif1c Coast have hitherto found in
China for their surplus low Grade fIours /
the quality and price of which suited /
the Chinese trade. This trade. by the I
way. prefers strength to whiteness
Motor boats OF large size run far IN ]
some of the rivers into the interior I
and by TINS means American flour I
WITHIN recent years has obtained a
much wider market There are six /
such boats running between WuChOv
and Manning They are cheaplv CON
StrUctcd al HongkOnE by a Chinese |
firm and gasoline being scarce and ]
expensive they burn kerosene instead. /
Attempts have been made to utilize 4
motor vehicles for purposes of CONNER /
cial transportation. but there is little I
chance for them until the roads are 1
-evolutionlzed- Nearly all the roads (
in China are mere foot ~aths or mar I
row tracks for pack-mules- I
Throughout nearly all of southern I
China the people are awakening TO the J
need for improved transportation IA !
,iitic-- Wherever the railway comes,
improved roads are made TO supplement /