The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-07-20
FOREIGN TRADE NEEDED.

Trade is improving, and the pros
pect is latteriug tina! we are entering
a period Of general reviving activity.
How long will the better state OF
things last? There is one obstacle 10
permanent "good times" and it should
have serious attention. Our capacity
OF production has reached a point
where it goes beyond our capacity to
consume. We therefore, as neces-
sary condition OF permanently active
trade, require wider market for our
merchandise. That is to be obtained
only by selling abroad the surplus
that goes beyond the home demand.
The most natural place for foreign
trade Is our own continent, our neigh
bors Ia Mexico and Central and South
America. Mexico, situated on our
border, is evidently the first place to
look to. Railways traverse it from
our own interior, our opportuni-
ties and there are immensely
greater than those enjoyed by
the nations beyond the sea, yet we
cit tamely inactive and allow England,
France, Germany and other European
nations to carry off trade that should
mainly be our own. We have treaty
with Mexico that would allow us to
make a start toward reaping advsnt-
ages from our close communications,
but our Congress permits it TO lie
dead for want Of the necessary legisla-
ton to put the treaty into actual op.
Grafton. This is a strange and most
imprudent neglect on the part of a peo-
pie that call themselves 1.-THE smartest
in all creation" Neglect OF that treaty
is an insult TO Mexico, and the slight
is strongly felt by the people there.
In the words OF the New York Bulle-
tin, "they seem to think that
between two Republics that have
been, each in its time, sorely
tried even to preserve their ex'
istence, there should be some
little OF the sympathetic sentiment
which draws different peoples togeth-
or; but instead of this, their writer's
and public men complain, and not
without reason, that we have treated
them with GOODNESS and disdain, and
that every endeavor on their part to
make the two countries forget that
they ever were enemies has met with
encouragement" The consequence
Is that Americans are becoming ex-
tremely unpopular in Mexico, and our
way of neglecting the treaty is widen
ing the distance between the two ma
tions, where there is need that they
should be brought together. The
Mexican Findncicr rays: "The people
OF the United States have now for
fullya quarter OF a century been giving
almost their entire attention TO the
development Of the interior resources
Of their great country and have not
paid much attention to foreign trad
ing, but now that their machinery
has outstripped in productiveness
the home demand they are seeking an
outlet abroad for their bone manu-
features" That paper adds that
1t is a question whether the English
will not out distance the Americans in
getting their trade, as the English
have the good sense to cultivate,
through its agents, mot only CONNER
cial but friendly social relations with
the Mexican people; q course which
might we'll be initiated by other ma
tions. In the Latin nations much
more is achieved through the estab
lishment Of sympathetic relations thar
by the cold iormalities OF conventional
diplomatic intercourse. Here il
matter for our merchants and manu-
iacturers to reflect upon,