The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1886-06-17
Commerce of the American Nation.

Commerce Of the American Nation.
In the Senate, on the 10Th, Senator
Whitthorne. of Tennessee, addressed that
body in favor of Mr.. Frye's bill ito pro-
mote the political progress and CONNER
cial prosperity of the American nations"
| To show the Importance of MI. Frye's
policy Mr.. Whitthorne cited statistics to
show the foreign commerce of the world
for series eff years. From these figures
it appeared that the foreign commerce of
the world has within the last fifty years
grown asfoIlows: In 1880 it was 81 ,6l0 ,Q00,
600 in 1910 it was So. 495, 000 900 in 1850,
$3, 1886, 900, 600; in 1860 it was $6,705, O00,-
OOO in 1870 it was $3.50, 100000 in 1880
it was $13, 440, 000,0 900 Mr.. Whitthorne
cited figures to show the foreign COM
MERGE OF the leading nations of the world
separately, from which it appeared that in
1880 the foreign commerce of Great Brit
ain was $2,S75, 900, 900 the British colo
MES 81, $40 000, 600 France 81 SOS, O0O, 900 /;
Germany, 81 ,575, 100000 and the United
States, $1,545 100000. Continuing Mr..
Whitthorne said that while the united
commerce of the countries named repre-
sented more than two thirds of that Of
the entire world, the flag of Great Britain
| flOated over nearly one-half of it and
that of the United States over only one
sixth. The United States stood first in
rank among the nations of the world in
agriculture and first in manufactures,
though only fourth in commerce. One of
the most eloquent facts of statistics,
however, which Mr.. Whitthorne had
found was that which show ed the capacity
of the United States, compared with that
of Europe Of the whole industrial power
of the United States and Europe. it was
found that the United States possessed sc
per cent, while all Europe combined had
only GA per cent. 1t had been the history
of the world that with the over produc
ton of wealth and population, nations
sought new fields of occupancy and enter
, prise. Far back of the Roman Empire
history and tradition alike cOncurred in
attesting the truth of that statement. and
the record of Europe's resistance to the
| VI bli6 GftSb DIS well DIS
ropes invasion of the Western Hemis-
phere was continuous recital of the same
fact. The struggle involved in this work
was one in which the weak went down and
the strong succeeded. Applying this rea-
soning to the United States, Mr. Whit
thorne demanded that American states
manship both in Legislature and Cabinet
keep pace with American necessities. The
great field for expansion and growth of
our commerce, Mr.. Whitthorne saw in the
nations lying south and west Of the United
States. What was the value of the COM
merce of those nations? The following
figures would answer: In 1880 the COM
merce of South America was $685. 900. 900 :;
Mexico, ST., 100000; the West Indies,
1924, 100000 the Central American States,
1856, 100000 Australasia, $515,0 900 );
China, $4,000 900, and Japan, So, OOo,.
900; making a total of 81, 677, 100000
When these countries should have the full
benefit to be derived from the general in
PRODUCTION Of steam and electricity, who
could foresee the extent to which their
foreign commerce would grow.