New-York tribune., 1884-03-01
TIE pIT4LRILS Or COMNERcE.
prrr,R BUSINESS FOR AmFnICA THAN FARopfiN0
GREAT BRITAIN.

ENN''-''@N-'
GREAT BRITAIN.
ITHACA, Feb 29.-Thc crucial point oil crit |
,oisn against the protective system, said Nj Ems H.
Roher becinning his tenth lecture that 1t nteriees
with commerce The assumption that we can secure the
carrying trade and restore or ilag to the ocean py sd
hcng oar manufactures is not sustained by anything o
phrases TO regain this lost ground Is not Tue hst vi
the most important task which devoives upon American
euterprise Capital aud industry are getting better re-
urns in home enterprises than service can PROM
ise When these fields arc fully tilleu American courage
and foresight will seek the seas once more NO hauoH
has ever yet secured control of commerce by change ID
its revenue system. We want no commerce whleh We 40
not win in the fields of fair competition We refuse 10
maintain q costly navy force our COMMODITIES upon
unwilling Deopes story of commerce Is story oi
violence and giaspng greed The history OF britain Is
summary and conden sa0n OF that or the Woiu' IH"'
country has sought its own Interests regsfoesS VI 'hc
,,efara of others or the demands OF humanity. In s
monstrous debt IN Its crushing taxes In bat'es Won anu
lives lost is written the statement OF what 1t mas cost
England TO become supreme IN commerce II has been
for trade also that England has exhausted the arts VI
diplomacy in Turkey and Egypt Is this the Ieast OF oo
trade TO which this country has been so zeaousl! III
vted Yet Britain tho only example which tho Tree
traders can cite. Nobody claims. II our domestic COM
,oerce between our States be sdded TO our foreign COM
MERGE that Britain match the record IN leo@ 'he
net imporfs OF Britain $l27953l6bO hnd inc eA-
ports to foreign countries OF home products S'So'
2O3 635 The figures for France IN 1861 "crV oS' y"
imports and greater exports; for Germany In loso
,hcv were less I'm each column The imports OF the
limited States wcra $723.Is094 IN 1883, ana our eI-
port. were SsO4 223 632 The imports both OF Germany
and of France are larger than ours but IN exports the
true measure of a countryS wealth ana growth we
already exceed either county II trade WIN lts own
possessions is included the excess OF Britain In exports
was in 1882 less than 600 600 ours. Turkey
and Frypt he considered part OF the empire rs they
fairly may be- they cost Britain as much ~ any IN
tegra part the foreign exports ol Britain are iOuho
10 DC almost identical with our own. But oar Increase
both I'm exports and imports has been far more rapid IL
the rate maintained within one more decade our eN
orfs viii exceed those which the older country has
r,id 40 hrh price We have gained IN twenty years IN
exports more than five Times a. rapidly az onr great
rival II j. commerce with her colonies which Ia, IN
creased ri much better rate with Britain 1t shows
a our own experience docs that the market winch IS
hound to ns by national ties is the to cultivate and
hat questions OF affect traic much less than
other considerations which lie at the foundation of states
| aud determine the relations Of peoples
TIE strength OF nation in ships has taken the place oil
is strength as expressed In armies The shores Of the
Mediterranean are strewn with the wreck. Of nations
which at different times sought TO control the worlds
trade and make it tho instrument OF extending theii
| military power Foreign commerce has stood Tue
changes o. time for the longest periods where home pro-
duotion has been the diversified aud most eTcn-
sye lr the OF violence the countries ~ aScuture
and domestic production were the countries IN "hich
government endured Tor long periods Cntl now Lhsii,h
,',arcr has been carried to unwilling peOpcs AZ tlc
t ~ ,bc havo,,et and the mouth H. Of paixbsn and
| Armstrong gaus. II were able, do we want foreign
| commerce at such price DO we Wlhl 10 maintain
.%m,ieS strong enough io penetrate Asia and Africa Do
we care 10 build navios strong enough 10 stand on the
hnrilors OF Peru aud to bonbard AleSaiaIa f"I WIZ
find 40 uouble win any surplus WIN u,'. pom! " S S
want this kind Of commerce. you must compete WIN
hrl IL onp @ ls6n n, its wages vou must nave armies
ana payes and you must vie with other Powers IN the
Tnrpi%3 commerce II we wanted 1t by parodyug tho
career of Great Britain. We are to win IN the future. II
future oar good, are succeeding og ther merits and
their cbcapness MAKE ana you Wi sen a & oiraJ uo to
he cI0itons Of the cheapest tho most varied because
| he os rewarded prOdncOn aud YOU viii also establish
the most attractive markets in which to buy and to SELL
which civilization has ever offered
lei u get down To tho bottom OF this discussion Low
wages are caused 10y density OF population by he
strife Tor livelihood to-day Ihey are tho 3equcst ol
the ancient Berio, they hayo grown OUT OF tnc casM
which has prevailed everywhere IN the 0id WoId SNOW
and IN enor aud cn tell you the type oi the govern
ment aud by country In Europe, IN INC hidue
ages the laDOrer received only u0mha pay nI.n I @
growth OF population labor IccelSes oet,er wngo T H
ey the pay OF the producers III every class mas h'oe
higher With the breaking down OF the molaIcny 90 ~ ~
OF lodnouoh, anu ~ 20 Pi,i u Con"titmon The sarc
snrh On tho average arc highest III this country 10 day
are those paid skilled mechanics. and Especially th9e
cnmntent 10 administer large. establishments The DO
Inaud Tor professional under the ola caSaiell0hs -
limited; Tor Skilled labor Ia ils mdhiiOd oilS -
widening boyO Ond the supply M CApet p,aces ,no a', ,
ace salary OF Catholic prost' Ia this country nhder
$500 Presbyterian ccTgYmcn 40 not dNtfa7c 9'VJ a
wear Mcthodists not $500 In law ana me9leine many
euc,ted men earn no higher compensation ~ neither
of the three learned professions do Ak many a. one-aI
receive as much 1000 yc1r nom tGciT regular car
ug IL may safely bC stated that III ths country ',r"
pepsons are earning 81 200 10 $1,000 year la mccha-
lau "a professions A. 'fsefi
apd ,pcuteuJentS skilled men are IN CnnsLi uthil
at gaiacs Of from $1,000 70 $1,000 year ouc, sAa
rjes tend to libcraze society and to adofh IT, I"e ne
,.nd il for skilled labor with brains ana cducaion re-
hind IT. allied with manual labor ana persstent Industry
Jhs is iui flower OF thc American sgs'emoi rev eno.
Trade viii come when get ready. We are preparing
for II by every addition and improvement 10 pTOdcuoh
In the meantime better. far better. American homes
q Win schools and churches aud FREEDOM han i"elsh
markets bought by degrading our tabor ana pA{i.E tie
orroi To any rival Professor Sceiye declares oi Blth
that maritime vocation that % which shc W's
card Iv nature herself" She is tnSular; We are con
mental Nature has called this Republic {" a mission
ti'li'.t - -. A. thut al extending and