The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-12-01
mr.. CARNECIE'S CONVENTIONS


MIR. Carnegie has addressed two very in.
teresting and important letters to The
World on the subject OF territorial cxpan.
sion. and especially the proposed Philip.
pine annexation.
He asserts his right to speak for industry
as the largest manufacturer In America
for commerce. as the largest exporter oil
steel products In the country: and for labor
as one OF the largest EMPLOYERS Of men
In Industrial pursuits In all the land.
He makes four principal contentious:
/ !. That we are not In need OF CONNER
c!al expansion. He says.
| II Secretary Gage is not satisfied with the
| commercial expansion whl ch this country is
| enjoying what Will satisfy this MANI l
| have seen norhEng like IL IN my lifetime
| nor have | read OF anything comparable
to 1t
z. That territorial expansion will NOT
only not increase our foreign commerce.
but will actually decrease 1t. thus compell-
ing us TO bear the expense of a colonial
government FOR the commercial benefit OF
otntr nations. On this point he says:
The reason that Secretary Gage gives for
ACQUIRING the Philippines Is tine reason
why | would not. He believes it would
increase our foreign trade Permit me to
state reasons why 1t would not increase
but decrease II.
Foreign trade rests upon peace and Sc
cufity; the waters must be calm. disturbing
influences absent.N to foster trade in for
eign parts.
Should we undertake to hold the Philip
pines we Immediately place tho whole re-
public within the zone ri wars and rumors
of wars. and the ruGlor of war. 1t must be
remembered. is in itself destructive to
commslscc.
Without distant possessions. the republIc.
solid, compact safe from the zone OF war
disturbance. has captured the worlds mar
kets Tor MANY products. and only needs
continuance of peaceful conditions to have
the industrial world at its feet. Our OK
ports now exceed the EXPORTS OF Great
Britain. What does Secretary Gage mean
by talking OF commercial expansion TO
come, when the question today Is. how
shall we meet the commercial expansion
crowdlng upon us7
3. That If We refuse the open door
that is to say, the admission of foreign |
trade in our Eastern possessions upon equal |
terms with our own--ESurope will never |
permit us to take the Philippines at all
unless we can meet and overcome the COM
bined resistance OF Europe and japan. On
this point he says:
From one point OF view he (the presidency |
can not be blamed. There was no uss |
in his attempting 10 oppose the giving OF |
the open door to the foreigner. because |
refusal meant that he hal to meat the |
combined fleets OF Ja1an. Russia, Ger !
mary, France and last. but not least, Great |
lFtf lip MIL hNn "A ..,r
unless wholly bsTeft OF reason. would not |
for moment consider. He had to concedc |
TO other nations the markets of his new
ill starred possession. To such national
imperialism inevitably leads
~
4. That II we grant the open door"
we simply surrender 10 other nations all
the trade for which we pay the enormous
price OF governing and defending the Phil
because of what he calls the
fatal fact of Distance He contends in
brieG that every rival we have In the ex
pert OF farm, mining and manufacturing
products Ia SO much nearer the East than
We are that with an open door" our
creator expense for freight would prac-
ically exclude our products in behalf OF
heirs.
Mr. Carnegie estimates that the proposed
erritorial extension will cost the farmers
md worlongmem OF the country at least
100 600, 900 Il year. Chairman Cannon of
he house appropriations committee esti-
mates the increase at nearly $500. 100000.
Concerning this MIR. Carnegie says
There Is not q dinner pail that is not
o be laid under contribution; labor is 10
,car the burisn. There is scarcely
armer. nor a farm hand employed by the
arIner. nor wage Garner of any kind, {
Tho does not use tea or coffee. these J
ecessaaiies OF life, and There, is not one {
pom whose hardwon earnings the presl- I
ent of the United States through Senator
lama, does not propose to levy tax to ]
Import his wild I'M American schemes. 7
The question now Is. what is 10 DO the ,
espcnse OF the farmers and the farm Ia /
orers and the work ngmcn. the men OF tha {
inner pals. to this extraordinary pro- Il
ramlne?
without now arguing any OF the points
l.sed In these two remarkable letters, We
ave thought It worth while thus to sum !
larize them for the convenience OF read =
rs too busy to read the letters attentiveiV s
their fulness.