Evening star., 1920-03-07

many factories have been established
by the joint investments of Japanese
and foreign capital. particularly in
the electrical industry. In time the
employers are practically all Japa-
nese. Tariff duties are light. More
than half the imports in 1915 were
duty free ard the averate rate upon
dutiabie goods was only S.2o per cent.
propositions for increased rates do
not seem to have been favorably re-
garded by the ministry Of the diet.
Like any other people without long
education in the use of mechanism,
the Japanese are far behind the most
advanced industrial nations. both in
the manufacture and use of delicate
and complicated machinery. Their
critics say that machines sent there
must be fool proof
Disadvantages Noted.
Among disadvantages the lack Of
raw material is fundamental. and it
is to the lasting credit of the Japa-
nese people that they have success
fully met so serious an obstacle.
There are only negligible quantities
of iron ore. The official annual re-
port of Japan states that less than
coal there is much more: measured In
metric tons of 2.214 pounds. about
100000 tons were mined in 1915.
This is practically exhausted for
ships, railways, factories and salt
mines. leaving practically none 1or
domestic use, although some 100000
tons were exported. There Is great
variety of other minerals in small
quantities-gold. silver. lead. anti
mony. sulphur: but of copper alone Is
there an abundant supply, OF when
large quantities are exported.
OF cotton there is practically none;
Of wool almost none.
There seems to be a prevalent opin-
ion that Japanese manufacturers are
assuming a prominence which threat
ems the supremacy OF countries OF
longer established industries. While
the development there has been ex-
traordinary. and Japanese goods IN
many places have made serious in
roads upon the exports of other coun-
tries. there is. as yet. little basis Tor
this opinion. A comparison will show
that the economic position OF the
United States is almost immeasurabiy
stronger. The population of this
country is less than twice that of
Japan There is hardly any branch
of trade or production in which the
disparity is not immensely larger.
The recent surplus OF exports over
imports is alleged to have made japan
a wealthy instead of comparatively
poor country. but in the first six
months of 1919 the excess of exports
from Japan changed to an excess of
imports. while the balance OF trade in
favor of the United States exceeded
all previous records. In fact. our in
crease in foreign trade each year In
the time of Japan's greatest prosper
ity was more than Japan's total
The accompanying table gives i'm
portant particulars relating to COM
parative trade and production. with
the percentages showing the prepon-
ri 10
the total foreign trade of the United
States was 4SS per cent of that OF
Japan or nearly five times as great.
the coal production was 2.2S7 per
cent. or nearly twenty-three times as
great. Comparisons of iron ore and
most incalculable. The same is true
of other products and industries.
According to a statement in regard
to subscriptions for new enterprises
recently published at Toxic, those in
the United States for the one month
for the ten months from January l
to November /.
Account should. of course. be taken
of the large sums received by Japan
from shipping, but the differences
are so colossal as to render such an
item of subordinate Importance.
Emigration Question Discussed.
Japan ID stlu pTeoomlHant4y an
agricultural state, with average farms
of 2.62 acres. More than 100000
of her population are thus engaged
and 100000 are in fisheries. which
in the rivers and surrounding seas
furnish very large quantities Of food.
The question arises. What will be-
come Of the rapidly increasing sur
plus of population of JAPAN" Much
of it is absorbed in manufacturing
industries. but the disposition OF the
Japanese to emigrate is exaggerated.
Their attachment to their native land
home. They are not fond of cold
countries. The Japanese Island of
Hokkaido. with climate not more
severe than that Of New England, Is
but sparsely settled.
Several years ago a very favorable
Brazil, under which 10000 emigrants
were annually to go there for two
years Only 5000 could be obtained.
The one country which seems to be
considered a paradise is California.
There is desire to enter that coun-
try, though whether with the inten-
ton of remaining Is not certain. Re-
cent utterances by Japanese states
men have favored abandoning emf
grafton to remote countries and GEN.
tering their settlements upon nearby
localities on the continent of Asia
the immediate future will no doubt be
Korea and Manchuria. Many live
abroad. There are more Japanese in
China than of all residents of Cauca-
sian races, but this may not mean
that most Of them contemplate re-
naming permanently. Their most
universal desire is not to go outside
their own country unless as proprie-
tors or superintendents or In some
privileged position.
Like other countries. Japan has seri-
Gus problems to face, such as the
burden of military expenses, the labor
question, the effect of Increased
wealth and luxury upon the morale
of the people. and the availability of
raw material to meet the growing de-
mands of her factories. but there is
every prospect that the Industrial
progress Of the last twenty-five years
will continue.
Copyright, 1890. by the N. Y. Times COY
NIETHDAM EhADI nkc nAaD