| Show united states blinded by big trade Tig figures ures Is neglecting opportunities by 6 P AUSTIN head statistical Deput department ment national city dank bank of 0 new yott A it must be admitted painful as it is to make this admission that our manufacturers not risen to tho the opportunity offered by conditions in ilia neutral countries during tile past two year t they have hava devoted their attention to ilia momentary opportunity offered by ilia 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 ilia situation ion which presented itself at tho the beginning of tho the war the total gain of two years in our exports to south america asia africa and oceania combined is but an annual average no greater than the gain of the ilia normal year 1912 tile the exports of cotton piece goods to the ilia whole world by this country which produces two thirds of tile tho cotton of ilia world amounted in tho the full fiscal year car 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 in the admiration of the ilia temporary increase of our exports to the countries 1 tri es at war that we have hava overlooked apparently tho ilia more important duty of making permanent gains in our exports to those markets to which we must look ford for the future growth of our exports in that lino line which must supply tho the future growth manufactures it is not fiot however too late to remedy this mistake which chich our manufacturers rs have 0 mado made in neglecting a proper cultivation of the markets to which they must go for the future enlargement of their export trade jn in all of the neutral countries the ilia world over manufactures form the chief feature of the ilia import trade they are arc tho ilia sections of the world which absorb a largo large proportion of tho ilia worth of manufactures fac tures annually entering the international trade of that we supply normally iut but about worth and we should not permit the ilia 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 tu res the very class of merchandise in which rests tho the future hope of our own commerce |
