American merchants who formerly imported goods from foreign countries through brokers at seaport cities now have foreign departments for the transaction of the business direct. Our manufacturers, who formerly did not think of looking beyond the limits of this country for a market for their goods, have learned, through a better knowledge of the conditions, that they can successfully compete with foreign manufacturers. Our war with Spain is said to have opened the eyes of our manufacturers to the fact that there was a vast population outside of the United States who were dependent for many commodities upon countries which were in no better position, geographically or otherwise, to supply their needs; and if we judge from the large increase in our exports since the war, there was, no doubt, some foundation for the statement.