The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-11-08
To Conquer Foreign rlarkets.

To Conquer Foreign narkets.
1t will be interesting news that
senator Cameron has again courted
publicity by contributing to the New
Review a paper outlining plan for the
revival of American shipping. This
time. however, the senator hits closer to
the mark than has been his wont In
recent enunciations of public policy.
In brief, his theory Is that II the United
States Is to rise to the full measure
of its opportunity as nation it must
wrest from England the commercial
supremacy of the seas. just as Eng
land in ITS day wrested that supremacy
from Holland and the Netherlands.
Our greatness he contends, is not the
greatness of militarism and cannot be;
1t must. therefore, be q pre-eminence
in the battle fields of trade and a pri-
macy in the bloodless competitions of
peace.
The senator's plan to reach this as
cendancy is two-fold. First he would
have this nation go back to old-fash-
ioned, vigorous protective methods, un-
til every home industry had reached the
zenith of its productive capacity. Then
he would have our merchants and ship
pers so out into the markets of the
world, under reciprocal treaties, and
underbid and undersell every competi-
tor. To do this would require two
things-first. the voting Of a consider
able sum of national money each year
in the form of subsidies for the builders
and sailors of American-made and
American-manned merchant vessels;
and secondly the willingness on the
part Of the shippers in those vessels
to incur some immediate loss in the
practical certainty Of reaping ultimate
gain. To underbid the British ex-
porter may for time mean to lose
money on the transaction; but under
ors and with the reserve advantage of
superior skill. nerve and grit, Senator
Cameron believes that the American
dealer can eventually make himself
master of the situation.
This is the gist Of the senator's pa
per; and we are the reader to COM
mend 1t in view of the fact that we
have rarely had similar occasion to
speak in terms Of praise concerning
policies receiving his approval. There
is verything to be gained and Moth
ing of consequence to be lost by the
plan herein outlined. Under protec-
ton it is possible bdtfj to produce
cheaply and pay superior wages. When
that production exceeds the home de-
mand, it becomes the policy of wisdom
to sell the surplus to foreign purchas-
ers at a loss If necessary, rather than
suspend the productive energies and
thus precipitate a home panic. To
reach foreign markets in this way and
to cultivate them until they shall in
time be as profitable to the American
nation as they have long been profit
able to England Is clearly within the
limits of possible achievement; and 1t
is possibility to which Republican
craftsmanship may well be alert.
General Harrison Is perhaps unnec-
essarily cautious. His repeated re-
fusals to talk upon public questions for
publication strike one at times as be-
ing somewhat overdone. General Har-
rison, to be sure, is only a private citi-
zen; out he is citizen In whom the
public takes much interest, and 1t
would not hurt him to realize that the
public's curiosity with reference to his
opinions on current questions, Is not
impertinent but respectful. II he has
opinions and nobody who knows him
doubts that he has, and strong Opin-
ions, at that-why not do away with
SO much furtiveness and suspicion, and
act for once like a man not afraid to
deal frankly with public which Is his
frank admirer? In personal inter-
course, the eX-president is not thus
frigid and reserved. Why, then, cam
not he treat the public at large with
some degree of warmth and feeling as
well as courtesy? 1t would not hurt
him, and 1t would agreeably surprise
it. .H