Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-05-23
Our Future Commerce.

San francisco merchants ana
those with whom they are associated
at the East, are turning their atten-
ton towards the islands Of the South
Pacific Ocean as almost an unbounded
field for commercial enterprise. The
late political demoralizations in Eu-
rope are serving to disrupt, TO an
alarming degree, the commercial re-
lations which have so amicably ex-
listed for years between the United
States and the northern European
States. That trade, as it is now car
ried on, is almost wholly one
sided affair. While our ships go
across the Atlantic havily laden with
valuable products and manufactures,
they find it difficult to get full cargoes
of paying freights for the return
voyage. A condition of affairs much
the same exists along the Eastern
coast of South America. Except in
the case of steamers making quick
dispatch, hardly vessel now comes
from Central America or the Brazil
ian coast to, New York or Boston,
with q full load of any material
whatever. Many ships that went
outward bound, with valuable car
goes, are reported "in ballast" on
their return to the home port. At
ter all, unbusiness-like as the Sc things
may appear, there is one comforting
element in their cause. We are
yearly and almost daily growing
more and more independent OF all
other nations of the earth, and hence,
there is less demand than formerly
for the products of other lands than
our own. And yet, those nations
are Just as dependent upon us as
ever they were. While our manu-
features are leading the industries of
the world, our agricultural and
mineral products are doubling and
trebling as the years go by, to the
wonder and establishment of other
nations.
With all these good things on our
side, it were better for us that we
still had markets which could afford
us profitable home shipments. 1t
is now believed by Pacific coast bust
ness men that such markets are rap
idly opening. A writer in the Prince
town Recie,U, in treating of the &" Is.
lands of the Pacific" reveals some
encouraging facts as they stand re-
lated to our future commerce. That
writer assumes to show how a con.
tinuous line of markets is now in
process of opening, from the Sand
wich Islands. through Polynesia and
New Guinea to the rich colonies of
New Zealand and Australia. This
is especially true through the regions
of Samoa, Fiji and New Caledonia.
At every one Vt those points, the ele-
inents of q profitable trade are rapid
ly growing. All these islands are
producing thousands of tons, every
year, of such raw material as we need
to feed our ever-busy machinery.
While some OF those smaller islands
are, as yet, sparsely inhabited, that
fact of itself should prove an incen-
tive on our part to hasten along the
great and. noble work of civilization.
The bread We cast upon the waters
will be sure to return unto us again,
only so We bide the time in faithfully
watching and waiting. The whole
world is looking towards the Pacific
States end Territories now, in good
deal the same light as Europe looked
towards the eally colonies of Am
erica. It is difficult for it to CON-
prehend fully the strides we are
taking in the onward march of all
that tends to make a nation great
and rich and powerful. 1t is not at
all wild assertion to say that in ten
years, the Eastern Asietic and South.
ern Pacific commerce will be con.
frolled, nay owned, by the merchants
and business men Of this coast.
The Oregonian publishes a report
OF the court proceedings in the case
of the State of Oregon rs. James
IL