Show united states blinded by big trade figures Is neglecting opportunities sa si gy by 0 p AUSTIN head statistical department national city bank of new yott it must be admitted painful as it is to make this admission that our manufacturers have not risen to tho the opportunity offered by conditions in the neutral countries during the past two years yeam they have devoted their attention to the momentary opportunity offered by the war demands of europe rather than to a plodding persistent effort to obtain for themselves a proper proportion of the neutral markets opened to them by the situation which presented itself at the beginning of the war the total gain of two years in our exports to south america asia alrica africa and oceania combined is but an annual average no greater than the gain of the normal year 1912 the exports of cotton piece goods to the whole world by this country which produces two thirds of the cotton of the world amounted in the full fiscal year 1916 to but yards against an average of nearly yards per month by great britain in the current year we have been so BO absorbed in the admiration of the temporary increase of our exports to the countries at war that we have overlooked apparently the more important duty of making permanent gains in our exports to those markets to which we must look for the future growth of our exports in that line which must supply the future growth manufactures it is not however too late to remedy this mistake which our manufacturers rs have made in neglecting a proper cultivation of the markets to which they must go for the future enlargement of their export trade in all of the neutral countries the world over manufactures form the chief feature of the import trade they are the sections of the world which absorb a large proportion of the worth of manufactures fac tures annually entering the international trade of that we supply normally but about worth and we should not permit the temporary demands of the war nations to prevent our seizing this exceptional opportunity to strengthen our hold upon the markets which absorb much of this worth of manufactures the very class of merchandise in wh which ich rests the future hope of our own commerce |