St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-08-19
SOUTH AMERICAN COMMERCE..

The report of the South American CON-
mission submitted to the state department
contains no information beyond what has
already been published by the newspapers.
Still the report Celebrates points which have
heretofore been made. and gives our people
clearer impression of the duties of the
government regarding the establishment OF
trade between our own country and the
South American states. The most impOr-
tant suggestion made by the commission re-
lates the necessity Of establishing line of
steamships between the countries. The
commerce of the Rio de Ia Platte country.
which includes Paraguay, Uruguay and the
Argentine Confederation, is enormous, vet
the share of the United States is insignifi-
can't AS an Illustration of the important
part the United States plays i'm this matter,
the fact is mentioned that twenty
one lines Of steamships connect these ports
with Europe, while there is no regular
steamship connection with this country.
From forty TO sixty European steamers ar
rive at Buenos Ayres every month, and not
one from the United States. The few
American products found there are brought
by way of Europe and on European vessels.
The result is that the people of South
America cannot afford to buy in the United
States, unless il is an article which cannot
be obtained elsewhere. This country Is
virtually shut out from an important COM
merce because of the absence of steamship
communication.
Now the question will arise, why is ii
that this government has permitted this
vast commerce which is right here on
our own continent to be trans
ferred TO European nations, and
by them to be gobbled up right
under our own eyes. if by establishing few
steamship lines we could manage to hold it?
The reason is apparent. In our dog-in-the-
manager tariff policy we have excluded this
trade. While we cannot hope to get it I'M
til we have established our steamship lines,
still we could not hold it with steamship com
munication established until we have modi-
fed our tariff laws. This is quite clearly
shown by that part of the report of the
commission which refers 20 affairs I'm
Uruguay. The commission speaks of the
splendid reception rendered il by the Uru-
Sung al SohNAhAhSlii, anu VI the Nbiuldl ictl-
ing existing among the people of that state
toward the United States. They look upon
ours as the model government of the world.
and seek To initiate us in everything pos
sible. And yet the president and minis
tiers very frankly told our commits
sion that the Uruguayan government
could do nothing toward establishing com
mercial relations with the United States
until the latter country removed the taria
on wool, which is the chief product OF
Uruguay. This is only one of many Illus
trations that might be cited TO show that
the commerce of the United States is com
PEELED TO languiSh as long as the govern
ment seeks 10 build up and foster manu-
featuring monopolies at the expense of
every other interest. Like the dog in the
manger who could not eat the hay, nor
would he let the cattle eat il, we cannot
consume our products nor will we let other
nations have them, from the simple fact
that we allow n few monop0lies Ia shape
the tariff legislation of the country. When
once the shackles of a protective tariff are
stricken from our limbs, and we are eman-
cipated from the rule of rings and monop-
olies, the United States will step 10 the
front as the leading commercial nation of
the world. Then we will not be Inundated
by being compelled to send TO our South
American neighbors the few products we
can sell them on foreign vessels.