The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-08
OUR GROWING COUNTRY
SPEECH BY POSTMASTER GENERAL
SMITH TO KANsANS.
United States Now In an Unrivaled
Position, with Exports Double Inn
pOrts-ResuIts of the War.

TOPEKA, Kan, Oct. 7-Postmaster Gen.
eral Smith arrived here this morning from
Omaha and addressed a large crowd at
Hamilton Hall in the evening. Mr.. Smith
is accompanied by his wife and private Sec
rotary. Mr.. Smiths address tonight was
an eloquent defense of the policy of the
present administration. He said. in part:
1.-THE country once more witnesses an era
of good feeling such as it has not known
since the administration of Monroe, after
the war of 1872 The war has obliterated
sectionalism. 1t has brought the North and
the South together in such harmony and
fraternity as have not prevailed since the
differing institutions OF the two sections
began the irrepressible conflict in our early
history. How 1T has rejoiced our hearts to
see the eagerness and the patriotism with
which our brethren of the South have has
tened to follow the flag when it is carried
only destroyed sectionalism, but it has
measurably dissolved partisanship and
melted away, the sharp and bitter conten-
THE consUmmate skill and the unerring
judgment with which the struggle was
guided is acknowledged on all sides, and If
by the country and the world to the in
trepid resolution, the sure insight and the
chief, would be even greater than it is
now. 1t is a convincing testimony to the
patriotic devotion and wisdom of the Pres
dent that he has largely disarmed political
opposition and commanded the confidence
and approval of his political opponents. No
President since Washington has had the
country so overwhelmingly behind him, but
the work is not yet finished, and it is for
the people to decide whether they will sup
port and strengthen the President in car
rying 1T forward to its completion or wheth-
er they will embarrass and thwart his eff
forts to put the capstone upon the tri-
umph
ut has been contended that the American
protective policy shut us up within our
selves and prevented foreign commercial in
tercOurse The truth is the exact reverse.
The history of the country during the past
four administrations shows that whenever
this policy has been most fully in opera
foreign trade, and that when it has been
threatened or directly attacked our foreign
exports have declined. The most decisive of
all illustrations has come with the present
REIMBURSEMENT of Republican rule and the
Mckinley administration. With the restor-
alton of the American policy, with the
surance of its stability. and with the re-
turn of confidence, we are witnessing such
a tide of exports as the country has never
before % seem 7dS For the fiscal year ending lin
10000, an increase of SITS, 000 900 over the
preceding year, and of over $400, 900 900 above
the export of 1895. And just as our exports
increased our imports decreased Our i'm
ports for the first year of this administra-
ton were SAC. 900 less than during the
last year of the last administration Going
back a little further, in order to get the
full sweep of change-in 1895 we exported
only $75,OO0,0OO more than we imported, and
while in the fiscal year 1898 we exported
s616, OO0 900 more than we imported, and these
exports embraced the products of our fac
tories as we'll as the fruits OF our farms.
I'VE have now reached the position abso-
lutely unrivaled among nations, where our
exports are double our imports. We sell
twice as much we buy Instead of being
compelled to rely upon other nations, we
are completely independent and go forth
into the markets of the world: This is. the
magnificent vinoication of the American
policy-that it has built uD our industries
until we are supreme in our own field and
has established them with such strength
and facilities and equipment that they can
now successfully compete all over the world.
Our growth has been so marvellous that we
can scarcely realize 1t. Under the direct
development Of the Republican policy our
country stands pre-eminent. 1t can no
longer be compared with any single nation.
but must be compared with the world. We
manufacture one-third of all that is manu-
featured in the busy workshops OF the
globe. Our growth in industries during the
past twenty-five years has been more tnan
twice that of England, France and Ger
many put together Our railroad business
is practically One-third of all that or the
world. Our steam tonnage. notWltnstand-
ing our lack of a merchant marine, is one
third. We have one-half the length of the
telegraph lines of the earth. We write and
receive about one-third of all the letters
that are written by mankind Throughout
the whole broad range of business and in
dustrial activity the same general proper
tons are maintained. and with this enor-
nous expansion of our productive capac-
ity we need commercial outlets, and, thanks
to the valor of the American sailor and SOL
der and the .vigor and breadth of American
craftsmanship these outlets are within our
grasp. We have been engaged in the great
work of home development. and as the d.
rect and legitimate outgrowth of that de-
yelopment We pass on to the work of COM
mercial expansion. Having secured full
command of our own market and carried
our productive capacity beyond our own
wants; We step out Into the markets of the
world"