The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-09-11
The Line of It's Extension Is Wes4wardz--
Trade Already Built Up With
Asiatic Ports
]. ]. HILL DISCUSSES THE SUBJECT
1t Is Not for States or Statesmen. but for
the Nation to Send the American FIao
to Every Foreign Port.

AT the reception rendered to Hon. c.
4. Davis by the citizens Of St. Paul at
the Commercial club, President ]. r.
Hill, Of the Great Northern railroad. re-
sponded to the sentiment "Conmerce" &"
Mr.. Hill said
1t Is very gratifying to me tonight
to be here with you and to join In ex-
tending to our distinguished fellow
citlzen, Senator Davis, our hearty con-
gratulations, as evidence Of good will
ror all his acts as the representative
In the national councils of the state of
Minnesota.
senator Davis, while representing
the state Of Minnesota, has not forgot
ten that the position Of United States
senator calls upon him at all times 10
represent his whole country, and every
one of you know how we'll he has rem
resented his whole country In all the
duties that have fallen to his hand to
perform
A great many of our public repre-
sentatives feel that their duties are
limited to the district they represent,
or to the state. Happily for the ma
tion, Senator Davis rises above Iocali-
ties. The position he has made for
himself and for the country reflects
credit not only on Minnesota, but over
the entire nation.
You have asked me tonight to speak
on the subject of Asiatic commerce. I
will not detain you long.
Commerce covers the world. Asiatic
commerce is a. part of it, and when we
look back to the commencement of the
history Of our country, we find that
the original thirteen states were more
remote from each other; took more time
to communicate with each other; the
commerce Of the original thirteen states
was farther separated than is today
the commerce of the whole world, and
what was laid down as wise statesman
ship to govern us under those condi-
tlons, today, I may say, does not ap-
ply. We can no longer be bound by
the limits of the American continent.
If we do, we might as well build a sea-
wall around the shores of the nation.
The people of this country are a com
mercial people and they will trade with
wealth of the country is in the soil.
The products of our farms, our mines
and our factories constitute the main
wealth Of the nation. We can today
furnish, and we do furnish, more OF
the staff of life than any other nation
in the world I think the United states,
during the present year, will furnish
one-ffth of the entire bread Of the
world. We have a fertile soil; we have
the climate we have the men; we have
the intelligence; we have implements,
mechanical appliances either on the
farm or in the factory, or In the mill,
which make the labor of man equal
to that Of from four to five men IN
other nations.
The cost of production in the United
States is rapidly approaching a point
and I may say has approached polrll'
when we can supply the nations or the
World with the articles which constl-
tute the main commodities Oh coln-
merce. Our nation today is sending pig
iron to twenty seven European cltles.
We are shipping steel to Belfast anu
TO the Clyde, with which to oullo BTU
ie1 ships. We have on land the cheap
est transportation IN the world Trans
ro,.+otion on land in the United States
is q little less than 40 per cent OF the
o,,oroo oa cost Of transportation on the
on,,+inent of Europe, but just as soon
as we take our commodities 10 the SAT-
water the other nations make us drop
our bundles and they carry them at
or,. exnense and make us pay them
fer doing our work.
WEST IS THE FIELD.
TbA commerce Of the Atlantic is car
riad Won may say, by steam ferrles'
Having almost every hour OF the DAY
from one side or the other or the Al
10 antic ocean. The people Of the United
States cannot, under existing clrcum-
sr.nces. extend their commerce in that
direction without the greatest effort
ard long continued effort and patience.
On the other hand, lying to the west
of us, is one-third of the population
of the globe That one-third Is not an
ignorant, barbarous people, put learn
ed people; a people who nave had ma
tional vitality sufficient to Keep them
as an organized nation since long oe-
fore the Christian era, even prior 10
the time when Abraham was shep-
bard and it will not do for us to say
that they are not an able or a wise
neonle. If the Chinaman had a govern
ment that would protect him in the
endowment of the fruit of his own enter
prise and intelligence. his development
would be as rapid as that OF the ia
parese, who are certainly an able peo-
nile. They have shown 1t. In the last
twenty live years, their development
has been greater than any other race
In the history of the world during the
same length Of time. Our people, while
we have natural resources without
limit. are deprived Of the benefit OF
their natural advantages, because we
have no place where we can sell our
surplus. Practically we have but one
customer. Great Britain buys from
two-thirds to three-fourths of every
thing we sell, and If we lost that GUS
toner, we would be very poor indeed.
We ought to extend our commerce. We
can produce the various articles that
go to make UP the commerce Of the
world in greater quantities and for as
little money, and If we have good
market, we will produce them for less