The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-01-02
TALLEYRAND AND ALEXANDER
HAMILTON.

From the Century for January
your economists" he said TO me, Gin
vented a beautiful dream: it is the CHM
erical exaggeration of people whose IN
tentions were good. Theoretically he
added. their system might perhaps be
contested. and its unSoundnesS be eX-
posed: but we must leave them their
sweet illusions; the present state OF at
fairs in this world sufticeS to prove that,
at least for the nonce, their plan cannot
he carried out; let us be satisfied with
that fact" | did not make very firm
stand in favor of the economists, yet L
could scarcely make up my mind TO
abandon the idea that there could exist
/ some generous combinations that would
result in mutual advantages for all com
mercial nations. Philanthropic IDEAS
rush To the mind when one is an outlaw.
Mr.. Hamilton did not seem to me to
reject so peremptorily the possibility OF
all industry being, some day, divided IN
a permanent wav between all the ma
lions of the world.
! Europe. | said to him, is acquainted
with and cultivates all branches of art,
and excels in the manufacture of all ar
ticles Of luxury, as in everything that
tends to make life more pleasant and
/ agreeable. The New World possesses
kind of wealth peculiar to it; its crops
will always surpass in quantity those of
anv rival nation.
Might not, therefore. the distribution
of those two modes of applying mems
abilities serve, at least for considerable
time to come, as the measure and basis
Of the relations that must necessarily
{ Nations soma of
which daily require to buy, at a mod
crate cost, the most usual necessarles of
life, whilst others are anxious TO acquire
all that tends to make life more pleasant
and sweet:
Might not that natural balance furnish
a vast ground for intelligent exchange,
which, being ruled by international con-
ventions. would constitute the CONNER
ciaI intercourse of the different powers?
Your idea" Mr.. Hamilton said to me,
evil ONLY be practical the day when
and it is perhaps not very remote-great
markets. such as formerly existed in
the Old World, will be established in
America.
you have four chief markets con-
centrating all the products of the world:
/ that of London, which. Notwithstanding
! our COlQUlcIClal SutteSScS, VII Ntt w
| the first for long time to come; that Of
/ Amsterdam. which. if things do not
mend in Holland will soon be removed
to London; that Of Cadiz. which will
eventually pass into the hands Of our
northern or southern ports; and that of
/ Marseilles, which owed its tiourishlng
/ state to Leuantine trade, but IS now on
/ the eve of being lost TO you Frenchmen.
/ AS for us, we only need two markets,
/ but they are indispensable to us; one
/ for the northern and one for the south
! ern states.
when those large markets are estab-
/ lished, commerce will be able TO resume
/ its regular course: commercial enterprise
will no longer rely on mere chance. It
/ being the interest of each market TO pub
/ lish the real price and quality of the
! various goods that find their way 10 it:
/ excessive fluctuations will be thereby
f avoided. thus keeping within reasonable
I bounds the losses and gains of all specu-
/ lations. Then will sailors of all nations
bring in confidence their cargOes t. the
/ various ports of ihe world.