Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1915-12-09

ooS MUST BE Employed In Dealing
With Chinese Can't Be Fooled
Twice-Says United States Ought to
Control Lumber Trade.
Washington.-In report just made
public Franklin III. Smith, commercial
agent Of the department of commerce,
predicts a large increase in the de-
mand for American lumber and forest
products in China At the same time
he points out existing difficulties and
the shortcomings of marketing meth
DDS now in vogue and makes sugges-
lions for lettering them
China" he says, sis almost without
timber today, and reforestation has
not yet been attempted. Reforesta-
ton, even if practiced upon a huge
scale, would not put China's timber on
a basis to equal consumption for ap-
proximately sixty to eighty years or
more. It's population is slowly shak-
ing off the old order of existence and
turning toward the new-toward
greater agricultural and Industrial ac-
tivity, absorbing new ideas and adopt
ing new methods With increasing de-
velopment along many lines and with
the extension of the railroads, with
their civilizing and their trade creating
effects, there must of necessity come
larger, wider call for lumber. The
United States, with it's durable, easily
worked and comparatively cheap tim
Der, will, with proper precautions, con-
troll this trade.
ut may be well to emphasize the
fact that the Chinese want just treat
ment; the day of exploitation has about
passed. But because Of long continued
exploitation the Chinese are bit chary
about placing an order for material of
which they have not detailed knowl-
edge. This is true Of lumber. Chinese
have been known to accept shipments
of materials Of various kinds, includ-
ing lumber, that were not up to speci-
fication or grade, though all efforts to
get them to do business again with the
concern forcing the sale are fruitless.
"a standard list price, so far as China
is concerned, would result in as much
business being obtained as with end
less cutting. AS matter of fact fluc-
tuating prices have hurt rather than
helped in getting Chinese orders
While the Chinese are good and keen
traders, they are more content to have
a fixed price for a standard article,
such as lumber, where the margin of
profit is not great.
''TOo much grade manipulation in
Oregon has been done in China ship
ments, and this has in a measure ere
ated a feeling Of distrust toward the
manufacturer, since the producer is the
one on whom the blame is placed for
all shortcomings. A standard China
grade, from which no departure should
be permitted by the manufacturers, is
needed if confidence is to be held.
Some Of the Chinese buyers have be-
come skeptical of the ability of the
shippers to furnish cargoes of the same
general quality-a situation which has
arisen through the making of grade
to tit the price and the acquiescence of
the mill or mills in the practice
with respect to selling lumber in
China, no serious attempt is made to
explain the excellent qualities for
every purpose of woods from the Unit
ed States Engineers connected with
the railways admitted in several in
stances that they knew nothing about
Of
No conclusive data had ever reached
them as to durability, mechanical life,
resistance to decay under varying con-
d1tlons, cost and desirab ility Of various
processes of preservative treatment
Municipal governments have not been
shown the value of wood block paving.
Architects know positively nothing of
the superiority of American factory
made doors, sash, blinds, columns and
finish.
''The problem Of exchange is a vex-
atiOuS one to the lumberman doing
business in China, or with the Chinese.
Settlements are made by the Chinese
in Extraordinarily tael was an ounce
of silver Of a specified fineness-and
since taels are in silver, for which
values f1uctuate daily through supply
and demand the world over, a decided
difference may attach itself to- trans
action where a lapse of time occurs
before settlement Exchange is very
much of a gamble, and with only
small variation will materially effect
the profit on cargo of lumber. " hen
it is considered that the Chinese are
granted credit of four, six or even
eight months, the extent of the gamble
becomes the more apparent. Some of
the yards operated in the larger cities
by Chinese have been in existence for
many years, and the proprietors are
we'll rated"