The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-11-10

n
TIL e a a s Ks
OUR TR ADE !
BY Frederick
Another enthusiasm which houses
III with conventional foreboding has
taken hold upon American manufac-
tuners In contemplation Of the pres
emit outlook for increasing our trade
with Russia. Russia. the real land
lot unlimited possibilities; possessed
OF inexhaustible resources. vast
plain laundering all over Europe
and well into Asia; sparsely settled.
and yet counting 1S0.0 100 % 90 peoples:
with undreds Of millions of acres Of
rich agricultural soils, vast grazing
lands, abundant minerals, and just
beginning to crave modern civilian
ton, presents, in truth, possible
market which is staggering to even
the elastic imagination.
Russia is the biggest single pos
|sibility on earth. It Is the mastodon
among nations, and, like the masto-
don, It has been sleeping the sleep
Of death ever since the glacial
epoch. Should IT awake II will be
the world Is greatest buyer and SELL
er, the worlds greatest political
power, and, likely, from such a con-
Seriousness would be brought forth
the worlds greatest art. And II is
Of this world dominion which the
|Slav delights to dreami this Is what
he is working for in his Pans lavonic
propaganda. The educated Russian
freely admits his country's defici-
encies, but, he qualities, the future
belongs to the Slav, and the future
Is as certain as though fate which
builded the mightiest territorial do
minion Of the world. However, our
latest enthusiasm has to do with
the possibilities Of increasing our
trade with Russia, and not with the
dark empires political future.
4 An American manufacturer recent
" called the attention Of his coun-
trymeni to their opportunity for de-
veloping thcir Russian sales. He
pointed out to them that Germany
has been selling Russia about one
half OF that country's importat ions.
These German sales will likely BIO
cut OF for many months, perhaps
many years. to come, first, by the
Eembargo of the war and. then, tor
another period, by the embargo OF
|enmity, Austria, also, has sold con-
to her northern rival
Great Britain has sold one-eighth Of
lRussia's import while the percentage
which the United States sales bears
to the total Is barely five.
Russia Is a growing market. Her
millions of people are at the bottom
OF the ladder Of standards Of living.
but they have learned to look Ap-
ward. With needs equal to those Of
the German. English or; French poo
pie It would strain the factories of
the world to supply them. While
this market is a desirability of great
present value, as a future source OF
rich trade Intercourse. its imp rtance
is almost Iimitless. Just the other
day the Russian minister for foreign
affairs invited Englishmen apd
Americans to Investigate Russian
trade opportunities. assuring them
|of hearty commercial welcome.
Russia covers one-sixth Of the
worlds landed area. 1t has three
times the territor Of the United
States, excluding Alaska, yet we are
accustomed to think Of. our country
as large. Were Russia as highly de-
veloped as Germany. she could sup
ply the wants of all the nations Of
the world, and live fat upon her own
surpluses. AS It is. many parts OF
the Russian Empire are several CEN
turtles before the time Of Homer,
while In. few parts has achievement
gone further than a merest veneer
| Of modern civilization.
Most Russians are agriculturtsts
Russia is the farming nationn OF the
world. Less than one-tenth Of her
Ii1SO, 100000 people are engaged In
industrial lines. The number Of
Russia's inspected factories is only
$4,000, and. of this number, many
are modest AFFAIRS of one shack and
few machines. The empire counts
but few more than 1000 900 factory
workmen.. Therefore. for the grea1
lmass Of her factory products, Rus
II S1a mas TO look dUIOdu. 1NOl maStSl
what the exigencies Of the present
war, she will not be able to develop
highly organized industry over
might. but will have to depend to q
large extent upon the factories, either
\ Of Great Britain or the United States
There are 900, O00,0 900 acres Of
almost virgin timber land In Russia
There are great mineral fields within
her confines. vast stores Of almost
lall the more important minera
Iwealths,s and. these stores have
scarcely been surveyed, and, as fal
as commercial working is concerned
hardly scratched. Only about ~ % l
Russians are counted as being en-
gagged In mining. despite the fac
that 1t is one OF the richest minera
u storehouses on earth. This countr!
/ is superabundantly supplied Will
raw materials, with foodstuffs, lum
Der and minerals. OF these things
lher supplies are large enough tol
herself and to spare.
! Thus. Russia,s great exports are