The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1890-02-15
The Pan-American Fiasco.

1t is something more than FIVE months
since our guests from Central and South
America arrived in the country, and
some of them are becoming quite anxi-
Gus to bring the Congress 10 q close.
That they should have grown weary OF
deliberation that can end in nothing,
either wise or foolish, is quite natural.
Since the Pan>Amerjcan Congress as
sembled public interest in its proceed
ings has daily declined, until at last
great project, OF which such high hopes
had been entertained. has come 70 be
regarded as a complete fiasco.
During their long sojeurn in the
country the Pan Americans have visit
| ed its great Industrial and commercial
centres, and have seen much that has
commanded their admiration and won
der. II Is probable that by no means
the least cause of their wonder Is the
fact that Nation so enterprisiDg and
progressive, and possessing land so
richly endowed by nature, should have
adopted pnlIcy OF commercia! jealousy
and isolation toward the rest of the
world.
While considering this fact, our
guests could scarcely be so Impressions
| BILE as TO be deceived by fine phrases
and glitIering generalities about draw
| ing more closely the bonds of CONNER
cial intercourse among the nations OF
| the Western Hemisphere. They recog~
nize that under the existing tariff poll
cy of this country there could be nc
serious question of establishing with
| Central and South America more inti-
mate relations OF trade.
In the entertainments, public and
| private, to which the Pan-Amerjcans
have teen invited they have heard glow
| Ing accounts of the magic influence OF
subsidity as means of cultiyating in
/ innate relations with their countries.
But the subsidy jobbeIy. out OF which
4 few steamship owners and hungry
| Washington lobby may draw enormous
| plunder, has no attractions for them.
They could not, of course, object to sny
expenditure this Government might
| choose to make in steamship bounties,
but they would scarcely recommend
such a profiigate scheme to the people
whom they represent.
1t is not the Pan>American Congress
but the Congress Of the United States
| upon whom should devolve the task o.
promoting mutually advantageous com
| mercial intercourse with our Southern
neighbors. The nrst step TO this enc
would be to admit free of duty the pro
ducts which Central and South ADerict
have in such abundance, and which
are so necessary to the people OF thi
country. For this purpose no negotis
tions and no reciprocity treaties would
be required. Nothing more would b
needed than a few lines of an act o
Congress.
But since the Pan American dele
gates have been in Washington the,
have seen for themselves how hopeless
is the prospect for this sort Of legisls
lion. They witnessed the crowds o
tariff bsneficiaries before the Commit
tee on Ways and Means pleading 70
increased duties on nearly all article
of import They knew that the Chair
man of that committee is the author o
the high tariff platform of 1888, an
that majority in Congress, as we'll q
The Administration, are fully com
mitted 10 that policy.
1t is not strange that their delegate
from Spanish America should hav
grown weary OF their mission an
should now desire 70 return home. n
matter what illusions they may hav
iudulged in concerning the objects c
their visits, thsy now recognize thd
r the Psn-American Congress is sa
failure. Record.