The sun., 1919-09-10
COTTON PRICES IN
CHINA ADVANCING
Larger Output of Manufac-
lures Not Likely Owing to
Labor Conditions.
SILK EXPORTS ARE HEAVY
Demand Is Phenomenal, Both
From the United States
and France.

The very great increases in the prices
Of piece goods In China are told in
special report from Consul-General
Thomas Sammons at Shanghai He
writes:
AT the beginning of June the price
OF cotton piece goods in Shanghai ad-
vanced but little business was done un-
til about the third week of the month,
at which time the prices Of British and
American goods went very high. Twelve
pound sheetings. which realized only $50
taels (SS.37) at auction in January. rose
to 11.44 taels (S14.05). Sixty yard ltal-
ians increased from 1905 to 2l.8b
taels (S25.42 to S26.59). and colored
figured Italians which were 1445 taels
($17.74) on May 20. jumped to 1875
taeis (s19.25). Those fortunate enough
to have stocks on hand made good
profits.
Prices declined during the following
week, however. The situation was fur
Their accumulated by arrivals from Hong
kong and Canton, for which 1t was ex-
pected to obtain the high prices previ-
ously realized at Shanghai.
"Only small transactions took place In
Indian yarn, $500 bales In all being
contracted for. At the end OF the month
other markets were found for Japanese
yarns.
Future of Cotton Industry.
The price Of cotton is increasing
owing to unfavorable weather reports
from the interior. Tungchow cotton
rose from 81 60 34.50 taels per picu'
(from s2s.4s to s31.7S per 100 pounds)
Taichong cotton, from 81 to $3.50 taelt
(from s2s.5e to s2s.35). and Shanghai
cotton, ordinary, from 80 to $3.50 taels
(from s27e3 to $500.
'Tt is felt among foreign cotton mil
| operators in Shanghai that the inetalla'
ton of additional spindles in China vii
not necessarily increase the output Of
manufactured cotton unless farmers are
encouraged to raise more cotton through
increased acreage and improved methods
| of cultivation. 1t is also felt that labor
conditions must be improved by th'
| elimination of nepotism as generally
practised in mills under Chinese super
vision. and by the annual setting asid'
of part Of the profits for the equipmen
! o. clubhouses where the young men ano
| women operators may obtain recreation
| and intellectual training, to the end tina
| there may be skilled labor available al
all times.
1.-THE cotton industry in China ha
been handicapped by the high prices o
coal. and no permanent improvement
| can be expected until necessary step
| have been taken to open up and operat
| the coal mines of China.
Heavy Demand for SILK.
The demand from France ant
America for silk during the early par
OF June was phenomenal. and prices ad
vanced accordingly. This heavy de
| mand was due to the fact that sin
buyers held off Immediately after tn
signing of the armfstice In the hope o
getting near pre-war prices, which. how
ever, did not materialze, silk exports
like all other commodities exported from
China, being handicapped by the higl
price OF silver. Toward the end of tn
month, when conditions settled, consid
cradle transactions for America wer
effected Business with Europe wa
next to impossible. however. owing Z
the continued delay in Geographic com
munication between the Continent an
Shanghai.
Actual stocks of white silk on ham
at the end of the month aggregated Is,
333 pounds. There were also on han
1888 pounds of yellow and 1900
pounds of wild. The visible supply 70
the season to date is $4,000 pounds o
silk"