5°4 



The National Geographic Magazine 



less than 6 per cent of the total impor- 

 tations into Japan, while in 1902 they 

 formed nearly 18 per cent of the total 

 importations. In fact, Japan's imports 

 from the United States have grown 

 more rapidly than her exports to the 

 United States ; and proportionately 

 they have grown with much greater 

 rapidity than the total importations of 

 Japan. 



The showing of American commerce 

 during the first six months of this year 

 is still more remarkable. The imports 

 into Japan increased during this period 

 by 56.9 per cent, of which 22.4 per cent 

 belongs to this country. This extraor- 

 dinary increase of importations was due 

 to the war which is ended now, but the 

 benefit which the trade of this country 

 has derived and is still to derive from 

 this cause is incalculable. The war has 

 proved at least that this country has 

 greater advantages over other nations 

 in supplying the nations of the East 

 with flour, meat, and manufactures of 

 iron and steel and various other articles. 

 It rests with the merchants of this 

 country to retain this favorable condi- 

 tion of trade and still further improve 



it. That there should be this turn of 

 the tide is only right, because the 

 United States has been, is, and will be 

 the best customer of Japan. No really 

 lasting and prosperous trade can be ex- 

 pected unless the conditions make it 

 equally profitable to both sides. 



I repeat again that the future of the 

 Orient is great, and the greater it is the 

 better for the world. With peace guar- 

 anteed by the Anglo-Japanese alliance 

 and equal opportunities in Korea and 

 China secured by that treaty as well as 

 by the coincidental agreement of the 

 policies of the three great Pacific 

 powers — Japan, the United States, and 

 Great Britain — an important era 

 dawned on the Orient. Let us seri- 

 ously study the opportunities which 

 the changed condition offers and har- 

 moniously work out the way by which 

 we can, by combining the strongest 

 traits of each other, cooperate in de- 

 veloping the yet unexploited treasures 

 of the East. During the last quarter 

 of a century, all the great events of the 

 world transpired in the East. For years 

 to come, the East will still be the center 

 of the world's great events. 



THE FORESTS OF CANADA* 



By Sir Wilfrid Laurier 

 Premier op the Dominion op Canada 



IN the name of the Canadian Forestry 

 Association, which has conceived and 

 planned this conference, and in the 

 name of the Canadian Parliament, which 

 has authorized and approved it, it is my 

 privilege and my pleasure to extend to 

 you all a most hearty greeting. Welcome 

 to one, welcome to all. Especially should 

 I welcome, even after the words of His 

 Excellency the Governor General, the 

 representatives of the American Republic 

 who are present with us on this occasion, 



and who bring to us the benefit of their 

 knowledge and experience. Welcome 

 also to the representatives of the provin- 

 cial governments, without whose aid and 

 cooperation our efforts could never have 

 the full fruition which we anticipate from 

 them. Welcome also to the representa- 

 tives of the great railway companies, 

 which are placed in a position to give, 

 perhaps more than any other class of the 

 community, the benefit of their experi- 

 ence and knowledge to us. Welcome also 



*The opening address to the members of the Canadian Forestry Congress which was recently- 

 held in Ottawa. 



