St. Paul daily globe., 1891-01-25

SIS, ,000,000 on our navy, and next TO
nothing on our merchant marine. The
establishment of improved banking and
commercial facilities between Mexico
and the United States have increased
our exports of machinery from 100000
in 1880 to S4,000,000 in 1888. Should we
not show these people that we are capa-
BILE Of
Mana ging Cur Own Banking Affairs
without England's aid? In general it
may be said that we pay and are paid
by letters OF credit on London bankers.
Should not congress grant special
charter for bank with sufficient capt.
tai to enable it to establish agencies IN
all the Southern countries, guarantee
ing for term of years or 5 per cent ON
the capital? There is perhaps S25. .O00,-
600 of banking capital in London so
employed because the government sup
port of trade furnishes employment for
the capital. The London q River Plata
Bank of London paid the stockholders
Is per cent last year, besides passing a
large amount to the reserve fund. In
stead of paying ON a to per cent to
London bankers for standing between
us and these Southern people, should
we not deal direct and do our own bank
ing business? 1t would require about
$50, 0,000, COO to establish creditable bank
ing facilities. s'
The time from Tampa. Fla, to As
pinWall is five and One-half days and 1t
can be reduced to three and one-half
days. But the Plant Steamship line
from Tampa has only a semi-monthiy
service. The present line from New
York to Asplnwall consumes nine days.
The manufacturers OF Chicago and
other Western cities produce most OF
the articles shipped to South America.
With more efficient steamship service
from Tampa Or New Orleans theyWould
be able to place merchandise on the
docks there in the same time and at
less cost than is required to deliver 1t
in New York.
The countries bordering on the gulf
of Mexico and the Caribbean sea apDre-
ciate the necessity of direct and quick
communication with foreign ports, and
maintain that governmental assistance
in the form of mail contracts or other
wise is essential to the service demand
ed by the public interests. Mexico pays
the Pacific Mail Steamship company, for
the western coast service, $50, 900 yeally;
Guatemala, S24 600; Salvador, $4,000;
Nicarauga, $4,000; Honduras, IS, 600;
and Costa Riea, $4,000. =
Mexico and Central America are
doing much more than this govern
meDt to
Maintain Commerce
that is of much greater advantage to us
dies to United States steamships $101,
600 annually. while the government of
the United States pays the same vessels
$24. .160.
Some years ago the ''Red D'' line of
steamers was established between New
York and Venezuela. At that time our
trade with Venezuela amounted to
S3, 100000 annually. Now it has, through
the enterprise of this line, reached
S14, 900. 900, and comprises one-half of
the total foreign commerce of that
country. In 1880 the United States
shipped I,200 bales of cotton goods to
Venezuela. and during 1888 this one
line had increased the shipment to
10000 bales.
The west coast of South America has
a foreign commerce exceeding 100000
600 year. The distance from the ports
of Chill to those of Europe through the
straits of Magellan is nearly 5000 miles,
and the voyage requires more than
thirty days. A line OF fast steamers
from the United States to Aspinwall in
connection with similar one down tine
west coast of South America, would
bring Valparaiso within twenty days of
Chicago. London could then be reached
from Valparaiso by way of New Or
leans and New York in much less time
than by direct voyage through the
straits, and both passenger and freight
traffic would be diverted this way.
A merchant In South America can
cable to France or England thirty days
later than he cables to New York,
and receive his goods from there ahead
of the New York invoice.
1t was recommended by the interna-
tional American conference that the
United States and the republic of
Brazil enter into a joint contract to es-
tabllsh line of fast steamers, the ex-
penSe OF maintaining the line to be di-
vided between four governments, the
United States paying go per cent, Brazil
17I per cent, the Argentine Republic
1719 per cent ana Uruguay 5 per cent,
accepting for such service only steam
ships built in the United S ates.
In 1888 Chill and the Argentine Re
public imported S233. 100000, of which
the United States contributed S13,000,-
600, England S90,000,000, Germany S43.-
100000 and France S34.000,000. In 1868
we sent Ia per cent of our exports to
South America and in 1883 only 9 per
cent.
No trade can be developed to any ex-
tent without constant, rapid and fre-
quent communication between the coun-
tries desiring to trade together. So long
as there is no communication of a good,
rapid and cheap nature. there
Will BE No Trade.
The United States and Brazil Mail
Steamship company consumes thirty
days between New York and Rio Jan
eiro. This time could be reduced by
one-haif except tor the fact that her
steamers are obliged to stop at so many
ports to eke out precarious existence.
Her usefulness as trade developer is
therefore practically destroyed. She
cannot run faster because the trade
is not sufficiently developed to
pay for separate lines between New
York and the different ports at which
she touches. Is it not, therefore, neceS-
sary for the governments interested in
the development of the trade to come to
the aid of the merchant marine until
such time as the business shall be suffi-
ciently established to make the lines
self-supporting? This is the present
policy of Great Britain, Germany,
France. Italy and Spain.
MessrS. ID. A. Monfort, E. j. HodgsOn,
I'll. III. Hart. eX-Gov. Austin, j. G. Bry-
ant, James E. Moore and b. l. Stanton
took part in the discussion, which Tested
until 10 o'clock.
MAPLE SUGAR ROIJNTY.