Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-05-19
Senator Hale's Speech.

Senator Hale's speech before the Norfolk
Club is highly spoken of by the Boston pa
pers. The following is an epitome of his
able and interesting remarks: The subjects
of the Senator's address was South American
commerce and the necessity tor promoting
commercial intercourse between the United
States and Spanish and Portuguese America.
Two things are remarkable, said he-the
magnitude of the commerce OF these coun-
tries and the small proportion of it which is
controlled. by the people of the United States.
Out of the enormous total of this Commerce,
amounting to about $3.50 100000 annually.
only about $40 900 900 is comprised in actual
exports from the United States. This is SO
notwithstanding all the advantages for COM
merce with those countries which lie at our
door The people and the governments of
those nations have sympathy with us, and
will welcome a closer commercial relation
with us. Their geographical position makes
them the natural receptacle for the products
of our farms and manufactures. Their
climate and soil are such that they produce
many things necessary to US. But the
balance of trade is largely against us. Brazil
annually imports from England goods to the
value of $50, 100000 while from the United
States she imports goods to the value of only
about S8, SOC, 900. In other words the money
which Brazil receives from US, over and
above the merchandise which we supply to
her, goes to the hands of British manufac-
turers and merchants.
A like condition of affairs is true in relation
to the other South and Central American
countfes. How has this come about? How
can this be remedied? European nations have
hy ntal oil
The United States has never done
this. rhe geople of our country have
been otherwise engaged. We have subsi-
d,zed internal railroad systems until we have
the finest net of railways in the world Now,
other considerations present themselves. In
ventlon and labor saving machinery have
brought about an over production More
men are seeking employment than there is
work for them to do. We want the markets
of our neighbors to the southwark. We want
the money which now goes to Europe. These
secured, our manufactures would receive
new life. For years this has been the aim of
the republican party. Mr. Evarts declares
that it is the duty of the government, by
everv just and appropriate means, to promote
an expansion of our foreign commerce.
We must continued Mr.. Hale develope an
ocean postal system The foreign govern
ments are ready to join with US; onr partici-
patton or non-partcipation is the turning
point in the acceptance or rejection of the re-
ciprocal trade now offered us. The admins
tration of Garfield took steps to this end
During Arthur's administration Il commission
was appointed to visit the States of South
and Central America and report upon the
matter But when the present administration
came into power all this was changed. The
President has made no recommendation in
the meter. An appropriation, passed bv the
last Congress in aid of American steamship
lines, was nullided by the present Postmaster
General. During the present session another
attempt has been made in the same direction,
in the Senate. Great Britain pays
large subsidies for this end. So,
too, have France and Germany
Our government makes no inducement to
carry the mails. Our average payment to
ships carrying foreign mails is "a cents per
mile, while we pay to coastwise vessels 571
cents per mile. The democratic party in the
Senate opposed the proposition. Senator
Beck made great speech against it; Sena-
tor Morgan and Senator Vest echoed it. The
proposition was carried through the Senate
as a strictly republican measure.
But the extension of our South American
commerce cannot be brought about in a day
now by a single effort. We must have well
guarded reciprocal treaties. The great COM
merce of Europe was built up by govern
ment aid We use the same means if we
would succeed in the advancement of Amer
lean ideas and the encouragement of Ameri-
can labor.