New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-09-16
FRESH NATIONAL ISSUES.


The centennial celebration of the Inaugural
ton of Washington occurred few weeks al'er
President Harrison entered upon Office. II was
one of the earliest signs Of the beginning OF
another era of American progress why shouiu
not the Republican Administration ana the
List Congress commemorate the opening Oh
this new epoch by promoting revival OF SONG
Of the earliest tendencies Of the first century
of American nationality? There are certain
issues of traditional policy which have been
neglected since the civil war owing to the ao-
sorbing interest Of questions connected WIN
reconstruction, National finance and lnterhai
development. Nearly all the current contro-
versies of National politics except the taflli,
civil rights in the South and Clvll
Service Reform have been virtually SET
tied. The country is IN mood to welcome
new subjects of public thought and National
aspiration No better issues can be preSeh'eu
by Congress and the Republican AdmnlSoId-
tion than those which once swayed the minus
of patriotic statesmen aiming to make Ailen-
can commerce and influence directing force
in the worlds civilization. few OF these
issues. the revival of which will be opportune'
may be enumerated:
I. The promotion of closer and more SYM
pathetic relations with the Governments oi
Central and South America. This is the Mon
roe Doctrine adapted to new conditions ol
American progress. There are no longer III
the South struggling republics menaced by
foreign aggression and constantly requiring en-
coma rement and protection for the develop
ment of self-governing institutions. Great ana
nrosperous States have been established, and
even the smallest republics have been delivered
from fear of foreign invasion and colonization.
The interests of all these growing industrial
communities are bound up with those OF the
United States. Here is the most profitable
market for their natural products, and in re-
turn they have to offer the most available dis
tributing points, outside of our own terri
tories. for American manufactures. The gem
era economic system of the United States has
been adopted by all these countries as the
least burdcnSome method Of supplying Gov
eminent revenues. All the conditions are IA
yorabe for the formation of an American Gus
toms union ard for a systematic assimilation
of conflicting systems of port regulations,
measures of value, coinage, patent rights and
trade-m marks. The Congress to be opened next
month in Washington offers an opportunity
for concentrating American interests and d.
recting the deStinies of the continent. The
deliberations of the delegates should be fol-
lowed by legislation designed to promote cor
dial and intimate relations, both commercial
and political, between the United States and
its neighbOrS.
2. The restoration of the American CONNER
cia marine. This follows as the corollary to
the preceding proposition, but it is not limited
in it's scope to improvement of trade with Cen
trail and South American countries. If the
United States is to carry out the Monroe Doc
trine TO its logical results, or to derive any
practical benefit from the approaching Con-
gress, it must provide facilities for rapid com
munication with and direct transportation of
merchandise to and from those countries. But
that is only one of the stages of the revival of
American shipping. Australia can be convert
ed into one of the most promising and pro-
ductive markets for American trade, if steps
are taken to establish numerous lines of steam
ships on the Pacific. Canada, aided by direct
subsidies from the British Treasury is boldly
competing for the China and Japan trade, and
will speedily succeed, if not interfered with,
in obtaining the lions share of Australian com
merce. This is the time for action. 1t is within
the power of Congress to revive American
commerce in the Atlantic and the Pacific and
thereby to renew the traditional policy of
earlier generations.
3. The rapid development of the American
Navy and the acquisition of coaling stations
at defensble points. The restoration of the
commercial marine involves the necessity Of
defending it by means Of a modern fleet of fast
cruisers and improved battle-ships. The work
Of producing such navy has barely been be-
| Gun. and the construction of only one class OF
vessels has been seriously undertaken. There
has been too servle imitation of English
models and mechanism. Until the opening OF
| the civil war American inventive genius was
unchaenged in naval architecture. There /,
no reason to believe that it is incapable now
Of designing battle-ships and harb defence
batteries superior to anything that is seen in
European navies The country requires navy
that is the product of the best American in
ventive genius and mechanical stll-one that
will protect the restored commercial marine
the seabOaldS, and such cOaling-Stations as ma!
be rendered necessary by the altered condi
tons of high speed and rapid consumption OF
fuel The United States in the past had
feet and a marine equal to those OF rival ma
tons, and in the epoch of prosperity and pres
tige now opening it must seek to regain 1T
impaired supremacy.
~ TrNFOPTEN FYpEDI1TON.