Omaha daily bee., 1897-06-06

| ESSENTIAL TO COMMERCIAL PROGRESS
| The Pan-American Commercial CON
gress held in Philadelphia the past week
was of the greatest Importance in point
| ing out to the merchants and manufac-
| turers of the United States what is nee
! eSsary to the extension of our export
| trade with the countries south of us.
| Papers of most practical kind We're
| presented by several of the representa-
| tives of those countries and they dealt
frankly with the conditions, showing
where this country is ut a disadvantage
| in competition with England and other
European nations. OF course much of
what was said was already familiar
In large part we We're told the same
| things ut the fist Pan-American con-
gress some years ago. But their re-
statement at this time is none the less
acceptable. since its effect must be to
| stimulate public interest in the highly
| important question of ways and means
TO enlarge our trade in most inviting
quarter OF the world.
| 1t was urged by several of the South
American representatives that one OF
the most essential requirements to Il
larger trade between the United States
and the southern countries Is an
American merchant marine The Ar
gentine representative made this point
prominent. He stated that the flag OF
the United States did not fly in the port
of Buenos Ayrcs last year, while the
rrmber of English vessels that entered
that port was 1.211, German 3O6.
Italian 251, French 100 and Spanish 70
The representative from Ecuador spoke
of the absence of American vessels from
the ports of the south and others re-
fslred to the same fact all conveying the
idea that this want OF our own fucii-
ties of transportation placed the United
/ States at Il decided disadvantage In com
petition with its commercial rivals. 1t is
undoubtedly by far the greatest draw
back to the extension of our commerce
with the southern countries and We
shall never ba able to secure such share
oe this commerce MS we ought to have
Until we can ship our products and
bring back the products of those coun-
tries IN American ships under the Anne J.
can flag.
That this is being more generally and
strongly appreciated by our people than
ever bnfore there is good reason to be-
lieye. II was referred TO by some of th2
speakers nt the h'aquet to the congress-
notably by cX-Secretnry OIney, whose
remarks in this connection were so
sound and admirable that we reproduce
them, feeling that they ought to have
the widest possible circulation. Mr.. Oh
ney said: III the American man of bust
ness wants all the world for hts GUS
toners, annther thing liz wants almost
as badly Is to reach them with his wares
without necessary dependence upon the
marine of any foreign state. lie wants
TO conduct his foreign trad, in American
bottoms under the American flag. He
wants to feel that the more he exports
and the more he imports the more he H.
building up what should be the most in,-
portant industry of the country. Sea
power. rs an officer CT the United States
navy demonstrates In n recent treatise
comforting almost equal iuster upon him
self and his country. sea power is an es.
sential element both of national security
and national greatness, The fact seems
to be now thoroughly implanted in the
popular mind and is largely responsible
for the new birth of our navy and for its
rapid and steady increase in numbers
and efficiency. Yet 1t is not TO
be forgotten that men-of-war for
4 nation that is without the
vessels of commerce is almost an
incongruity and that the true basis of
4 navy is merchant marine The bus!,