New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-09
TTSTTORS FROM THE SOrTH.

The hospitality Of the American metropolis
is put upon its mctlc to-day. II is always eT-
erciscd often in important matters. This is a
proverblally hosptablc city. 1t receives more
ncomcrs from foreign shores than all the rest
OF the Nation. 1t entcrtalns day by day ana
year by year, for pleasure and for business i'l'
comparably more visitors from this and other
lands than any other city on the Continent. OF
them all, prince and paupcr alike, it takes good
care. according 10 their tastes their require
ments and their deserts. But in the whole uh-
ending procession there have seldom been any
guests so worthy of the citys generous ntten'
ton as are those ut present within its precincts
from the republics Of the south.
Alike by sentiments of friendship. by the ira
dtional policies of the United States Govern
mcnt and by the most practical business inter
csts. they appeal TO u.s. They represent rcpub-
lies. and they come to the great Republic that
was their eXcmpar. 1t is easy. and it is cheap.
TO criticise the instability of their governments,
or some OF them; but it Is not wise nor just Oui
own Government Is not far enough above re-
proach for that Bottec far Is 1t TO honor them
for the undoubted progress they have made
against vast difficulties in the arts Of free self
government and to extend to them more GenCr-
ously tho sympathy and the friendly Offices OF
the United States Much IS heard Of the Mon
roe Doctrine; which is well. But what does
that Doctrine amount to If not to an avowal OF
deep reciprocal interests between the two con
tincnts Of this hemisphere? II this Nation
warns Europe to keep hands off It's ncighbors ut
the south, it Is by that very fact bound to OK
tend to them It's own hand in friendship
But New-York is commercial city, and these
guests are here on n commercial errand. 1t Will
be well for New-York manufacturers and mer-
chants to bear in mind the vast disparity be-
tween their trade and that of their rivals IN
those southern countries. and 10 ask the reason
why il is So Great Britain, for example. sells
to South America about three times rs much
each year as does this country. she sells to
Brazil alone more than the United States sells
TO the whole Continent Even to those States
nearest to us, Colombia and Venezuela. Great
Britain sells far more than we do. And she sells
them, for the chief part, the very things which
this country produces and ought TO sell to them
The fact is not credltablc to Yankee enterprise
But the explanation of it Is not hard to find.
Trade follows the flag. The saying is trite,
but II is true. You must have facilities for com
MERGE before you can have commerce. That is
true on l1uu. hdllTOdUS are DuIit III "h'"hN' Va
paving traffic. and by their existence encour-
age the creation Of the latter. 1t is more true
on the ocean Ask one of these visitors why his
people do not purchase more in American mar
Ects and the answer will be ready. There IS
no way Of getting things from this country to
that. unless 10y way Of Europe, and to ship goods
from Ncw-York 10 Bordeaux or Lisbon and
thence TO Buenos Ayres would be 4 cumbersome
performance. The European producer offers TO
sell goods and send them directly. In the ships
Of his own country. If the American cannot
do the same what chance Of competition has
he? If these visitors from South America had
themselves to go to Europe TO get to this coun-
try, what encouragement is there for direct
commerce between their people and this!
These deplorable circumstances should, how
ever. only add TO the attention that is paid 10
these visitors and to the warmth of NETWORKS
welcome to them They come In sense. as mis-
sionarles They come not merely TO see what
this country can do for them, but to show it
what It can do for itself. It Is to be hoped that
their visit will be made 10 impress them deeply
with the strength tho resources and the sin
cere friendllness Of this Nation. 1t is equally
TO be hoped that it will arouse this Nation and
this city to the most urgent desirabllty of Great
ing facilities for intercommunication with those
countries and of making American commerce,
both in imports and exports, predominant in
their markets.