The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-10-14
THE HAsKIN LETTER
AMERICAN SPECIALT TIES
% FrederIclk .. HaslLln.

There has been much speculation
as to what we must miss through the
l loss OF our European imports. Prob
ably, therefore, It viii not be immod=
est OF us, as second thought. to con-
/ slider what depriyati0ns Europe must
/ suffer through the disturbance Of our
4 exports. Their thoughtless blowing of
the bottom out OF the European Uni
tied States trade will likely inconye
Iience our ancestor nations to an, equal
or even Just a mite greater extent,
than ourselves. Anyhow, there age q
few lknick-knacks, here and there,
which the natives of Europe simply
have to purchase from us.
One thinks involuntari1y upon our
agricultural produce when Immersed
in a study OF European necesstties.
However, agricultural produce Is not
nearly so much OF an American spec
ialty, meaning here more particularly
meats and breadstuffs, as we OFTEN
think. Other nations grow grain and
cattle. some of them just as success
fully as we do Most of the coun-
tries Of Europe at pinch, more
over. are able to sustain themselves,
England and Switzerland excepted.
Russia grows more bushels OF wheat
than we do, and more grain OF al
kinds for export Argentine raises
more cattle for export, and Germany
laws it all over us In the production
OF potatoes In the grain connection,
too, we must remember that the RUS
sian fields are Just In the dawn -of
their development, with next-door
to unlimited future before them. One
can travel on a straight line for some
weeks through Russian possessions
over the richest kinds of soil, cap
able. IL treated properly, OF FEEDING
the hungry Of the world.
Nevertheless, the United States does
perform a nation-sized duty in the
way Sof supplying certain OF the Eu-
ropean countries with breadstums Al
together, this country exports more
than two hundred million dollars
worth of grain yearly; In 1913, $zll,-
'O98 .339. It Is to be expected that this
export will be largely increased While
the war lasts. Wheat is the biggest
item of our breadstuffs export with
81 ,602 ,974 bushels OF wheat and ~ :
394.S05 barrels Of wheat flour as the
amount sent abroad in 1913. This year
the wheat crop breaks all records.
Barley. corn, oats and rice are snip
ned in respectable quantities. We ior-
merly had a monopoly of corn, until
Europe developed O taste for the corn
starch pudding, when other export
competitors entered
We do not do so we'll with meat
products. Not so long ago. europeans
appreciated our canned meats, put the
educated among them enjoyed GER
tain savory American book, and since
then the native rneat-canning indus
tries have taken new start. II Is
said that the American book began
fanatic wave of vegetarianism from
Cadiz to. Moscow We still do falT
business in canned meats, however,
selling to all countries more than
800, 0GO, 900 worth.
No. while our breadstuffs and our
meat products are of more than pass
ing importance to Europe, and whlie
the war is likely to give them still
deeper and grander significance, they
cannot be placed upon our ilst 81
speciaIties. However, that list 10 led.
with wide margin, by product OF
the farm.
Cotton is one Of the products for
whose supply Europe has to do bus
mess with US. European manufac-
turers have often accepted this de-
pendent situation with grumbling and
bad grace, but they have never been
able to codge it.
India, once was to overcome the
cotton supremacy OF this country. IN
dia does grow quantities OIL cotton
but the American crop sets the pace
Then, various otner parts OF Asia and
of Australia were decided upon for the
honor of crowdlng american cottor:
with stiff competition. Each newly
discovered cotton climate has been
announced as a big find, and yet,
American cotton, In Indifferent bales,
cutters up the railways OF Germany
and England, while the other cotton
slips in occasionally and is used Tor
the manufacture OF cloths OF poorer
quality. Egypt was recently elected
American cotton-competitor- -chiet.
The Germans caught the fever from
the British and elected various parts
of their own South African posses
sicns. Stories of these elections have
long been a matter Of periodical oc-
currence the British or the German
Manufacturers rejoice at their COM
ing independence Of the American
planters. and regularly preserve this
spirit OF patriotic citation until mar
vest time.
Last year, AAmerlca sold abroad
total OF 1852 ,2s5,675 pounds of cot
ton for $547.35T, 195, besides some 444
~. -kkn raf