The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1889-01-31
THE SAMOAN IBLANDb AND AMER
loan QoMMnhpm,

II 10 quite amusing 70 note the Ank-
iety OF some OF tho leading protection
newspapers over tho Samoan Islands
controversy, These organs ct ltepub.
liean opinion argue that II IL vital "a
American commerce that tho United
States have flee aeoeaa 10 a. hafbOI
there, as a coaling station for American
commerce in the equatorial and South
Pacific seas,
Here IL whore the funny business
comes comes in, They seem 10 forget
that tho United States has no com
merce In the BOuth Pacific seas, on any
where else on tho seaa and oceans Of
the world,
Onee We had an Immense commerce.
and ia tho far OF Chinese seas, and all
along the coast OF Japan forty per
cent Of the carrying trade was under
the American flag, Now the American
flag In not seen In those waters,
The Chinese policy OF Protection.
which has been our policy for q quarter
OF u century, has barred ua out from the
commerce Of the world. With this pol
10y now fixed 90 our National policy
for four years longer, what use have
we for q harbOr In the far OF waters OF
the South PaciGcY Can any one toll NJ
what we need Of a harbor when we are
without any ships TO sail into any har'
Dor, and without any immediate pros
peGt Of anyY
There are TO day, little second class
powers In Central Europe, no larger
than Belgium, with more ships sailing
the seas, and more foreign commerce
than the United States,
We have wiped out our foreign trade
and commerce by law, We have Initial
cd the excluslyeneas Of the Chinese, and
like the Chinese, we have been left In
the rear, In the great commercial march
Of progressive, modern nations like
England, Germany and France, We
have protected ourselves against for
elgn nations, and foreign nations have
reciprocated and protected against US,
IL In an established fact, that owing
10 the shaeklea imposed upon our com,
MERGE by this narrow Pagan policy We
cannot compete with either England, or
France, for the trade OF the great con
tinental island Of Australia, or for any
Of the %iSlandaof the equatorial or South
Pacific seas, Fora decade the AmorI'
can flag has scarcely been seen In all
those immense waters, This trade nat
urally belongs TO M, and we could 49,
cure II, under q governmental policy
such rs outlined by President Cleye'
land, In his message 10 Congress under
date Of December O, 1887.
We should also control tho trade Of
the Republics Of Central aud
South America, and OF the
great empire Of Brazil England
monopoli2es the best OF that trade
now, and II Is enormous, The foreign
trade Of all these countries last year,
aggregated over s7OO0OO0OO, and Of
this enormous aggregate the United
States only secured forty millions, And
yet by mutual sympathy, by mutual
Interests, and by geographical connec.
ton, we ought to have controlled two.
thirds Of this entire commerce.
Take Brazil as an illustration, Last
year we purchased u tribe over $4,000,
600 Of products OF the Empire Of Bra.
zil while England purchased only
S%l5,O00,0OO, and France Rls,0OO0o0. on
the other hand England sold Brazil
100000 OF her manufactured goods,
while the United States was only able
TO sell u trile over 100000 In other
words, Of the S~50,000,OOO Of our money
paid TO the merchants and producers Of
Brazil, S35, 100000 Of II went direct TO
the merchants and manufacturer Of
England.
Brazil illustrates the practical opera
tions of our narrow and suicidal policy.
The great German Empire has now
commenced TO initiate England's com.
mercial policy and 10 reaching out for
the trade Of the seas. She desires 10
become the commercial rival OF Great
Britain, now the commercial master OF
the world. She is seeking a foothold In
the South Pacific, and knowing that the
United States has no commerce, and
no navy, and no commercial diplomacy
that a look over and beyond q Chi.
nese wall Of protection, Germany has
felt safe, on the eve Of the departure of
q Democratic administration, TO sieze
m important group Of islands Ia the
South Pacific. Prince Bismarck suppos.
Of course, that u country without
commerce and with a domestic policy
that makes oCean commerce nm impossi.
bility, would not care for q few coral
and defunct volcanoes, In the fur
Of Pacific seas.
Let us hope that he Is mistaken.
Let us hope and pray that he is mis-.
Let us take on hope that his agrees.
.veness will arouse public opinion In
his country TO a true sense Of the stu.
ltion, and even inspire the numskulls Of
protection with enlarged ideas.
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