The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1893-06-08
What Europe Does for Us.

Great expectations have been built
on the Worlds fair in connection with
the inflow of travel from foreign lands
Thus far it must be said that there
does not seem to exist the slightest
reason for believing that the eXpecta-
tion will be realized. It was also ex-
pectcd that the great fair would be
effective in staying the current of
American travel TO foreign lands. In
that regard, too. everybody but the
steamship owners will be subject to
disappointment. There will be no
diminution in the extent of the annual
exodus to Europe, but, on the contrary,
the indications point to an increase of
foreign travel.
1t is estimated that American trav-
elers expend in Europe $16,0OO,0O0 a
year. To this may be added a couple
hundred million now paid annually to
foreign ship owners. Not a dollar of
either outlay comes back. How COM
placently we have regarded the world S
fair as q means of national saving and
enrichment will be understood when it
is recalled that hardly a daily paper
throughout the country but has con-
graduated it's readers on the cessa-
ton of foreign travel this year. The
latest expression on that score that we
have seen is by the San Francisco
Aryon0M, which says: ''Where ma
tion sends it's coin abroad for the pur-
chase of merchandise the operation in
wolves no danger. The shipper of coin
gets 'quid pro quo for his money. He
merely exchanges one form of property
for another. But where a nation sends
its coin abroad to pay for pleasures and
luxuries, it gets nothing in exchange
but transitOry enjoyment, which has
no commercial value. We in this
country have been in the habit of pre-
senting Europe each year with coin
exceeding in amount the total exports
OF the United States in 1850; and we
have got nothing in exchange but a
delight which was as evanescent as the
flavor of a glass of champagne after it
is drunk. Now there seems to be, a
prospect that the drain will be
checked, for this year at all events
The New World is the Old World s
oyster. We are welcome to spend our
money in European cities; and that is
l.
thought of % reciprocal obligation or
pleasure. No European thinks of COM
ing out here to spend or sending out
to spend if he can avoid it, which he
cannot always do. He sends out to in
vest, because, as we say, the New
World is the Old Worlds oyster. The
cold shoulder which the Europeans
have turned on the fair would suffice to
enlighten those who were not deliber-
ately blind. We do not seem prepared
to receive enlightenment. Our globe
trotters know every other country but
their own, our parvenues wear every
other fabric but their own, our ship.
pers receive and ship in every vessel
but their own. We are the slaves and
the sycophants of Europe, at least in
our social arrangements. Bearing
such a relationship, it is not surprising
that Europe sees in us merely an ag.
gregation of well-dressed barbarians
whose country gives some admirable
opportunities for money making.
We have a foreign party in oul
politics. Its highest expressed aim is
to adopt such policies as will lead tt
the further increase in our foreign out
lays. It would give us free foreign i'm
ports and free foreign ships, but il
would have US pay for the maintenance
of foreign churches and foreign
schools. Having in obedience tC
the foreign demand restored that party
to the control of our national politics
we must be content, at least for the
time, to have Europe continue to laugh
at us in her sleeve.-St. Paul Dispatch