The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-09-21
Our Asiatjc Trade.

President Hill. Of the Great Northern rail-
ROAD, made an address, dealing chiefly with
the subject Of the possibilities of our
Asiatic trade, which was noteworthy enough
10 command universal attention and respect.
|, Mr.. Hill first showed that we can produce
wheat and other AGRICULTURAL products in
larger quantities and at less cost than any
other country In the world. Our improved
machinery and the high grade Of American
labor enable us to compete with any coun-
try IN the world in the cheapness of manu-
1acturlng processes. Our railways give
transportation to the seaboard which ia cbean
er tnan transportation in any other coun-
try; but when it comes to disposing of our
products In the worlds markets we are
nampered by lack Of an American merchant
marine. Our crops are carried In European
generally English) bottoms to European (gen-
orally English) markets. We are limited to
the European market for the sale of our
grain, and the price which is paid for it in
that market fixes not only the price of that
which is exported, but of entire crop.
Our small surplus of one-ffth of our wheat
crop, which is exported fixes the value for
the whole" What we need, says Mr.. Hill,
is new markets.; and these markets, he fur
Their points out, must be found in the Orient.
1t Is rather curious to that no consid-
cradle section Of the American press has vet
taken up the expansion of our foreign trade
as party cry. There is much talk Of elm
perialism" and "anti-expansion" and Cen
tangling relations with foreign countries" but
the United States cannot be baked of it's
destiny. 1t is not merely that we are about
to Inherit certain number Of acres Of new
possessions in the Philippines or the Antilles
That might be Comparatively trivial, but we
have become almost without our voltion) one
or the great sea powers of the world. AL
most unwillingly we have made ourselves a
factor in the fate of the Asiatic peoples. There
is no longer any question of whether we shall
have interests which will need conserving
in outlying waters. We have those interests
now, and conserved they must be- The re-
public has overfowed It's old boundaries, and
the fact that We have won distant possess
slons by force of arms is almost an acct
dent. The essential fact is that we are no
longer a power to be cooped up within the
limits OF a continent.
We hardly knew-a few weeks ago-that we
had naval and military strength; but we as
suredly know that we have commercial
strength beyond the measure Of any people
on earth. If our army and navy had failed
our merchants and manufactures would still
have pushed for conquests in the worlds
markets. Our army and navy have not failed.
but what they have done has only been a
hint-a suggestion-of what we can do, and
shall d. in the victories Of peace A large
part Of the earth and Of the fulness thereof
is ours by right of our fitness to earn and
enjoy 1t, and there Is thing only that
hampers US and places US at disadvantage
in taking what belongs to u.s. That thing
Is the need of merchant marine
There is a great role for the party which
will set the development of our foreign
trade above all questions Of party politics,
and which will call the people to uphold
1t In giving to the United States the means
which it needs for reaching the station OF
Its destiny. The party which does that will
play splendid part In history and 1t will
do more to bring contentment to our Com
mon people" than all the parties that have
yet been thought Of. This Is no time for
timidity and chattering about the dangers
OF expansion. We cannot stand still for a
force greater than we know or than the
world has seen is pushing us forward and
before the development of our foreign COM
merce and the placing of the United States
in its rightful position as the greatest of the
commercial powers, all other issues ought to
and sooner or later must-give way.
From the Tacoma Ledger.
The address of President Hill. at the St
Paul reception to United States Senator Cush-
man K. Davis, was. Senator Davis declared
one OF the most important contributions to
commercial economics that has been made
anywhere In the past twenty years."
Mr.. HILL who sees 1--WE can no longer hs
bound by the limits of the American CONT
ent,'' the future Of the commercial
greatness Of this nation in the East; that the
Pacific coast will be one of the great COM
merciai centers of the world. He showed
that the commerce Of the Atlantic cannot be
largely extended in that direction, while living
to the west of is one-third of the
population Of the world. which affords us
growing and inexhaustible markets
Mr.. Hill pointed out that our internal
transportation, rail and water, is the cheap
est In the world, ''but as soon as we take our
commodities to salt water other nations make
us drop bundles and they carry them at
our expense, and make us pay them for
doing the work"
Mr.. Hill sees the solution of the problem
in the "upbuilding of a merchant marine
to carry our products to the markets where
they will bring the most money" He would
have the government offer an export bounty
of 81 per ton If necessary, showing that at
expense of say So, COO, 900 could be built
up American merchant marine which
would carry 100000 tons annually from the
Pacific coast to the Orient. The benefits to
the nation in thus having American ships for
use Of the government was alluded to-
One of the most important features of Mr.
Hills address the showing that adj
vantages to the Pacific coast from the ex-
tension Of the trade with the Orient will
directly and benefcially affect the Atlantic
ana MluuI0 StdISS WIN our wheat ana other
products shipped to the nearby Orient he
predicts that prices would be advanced from
10 to 20 cents buSheI.
The argument Of Mr.. Hill for the build
ing of American merchant marine as the
great need in the future extension of our
foreign trade is in line with the sentiment
of the American people who have given
thought to the subject. Whether it would be
necessary to give bounty to come from the
treasury, to secure such a result, Is not
clear 1t is believed that the desired end
could be secured by a revision of our tariff
laws, giving a preferential tariff on goods
carried in American bottoms II that were
not enough, tnen bounty might be consid-
cred
1t is a matter for tongratulatIon that the
commerce of the coast. as Mr.. Hill shows
is growing more rapidly than it can find
vessels to carry 1t, for such conditions will
bring a supply Of bottoms, and it is hoped
American ships win, soon be able to care
for the trade. An immense pressure will be
made upon congress In this direction. and
Republicans who have given protection to ali
other American interests can no longer refuse
it to American shipbuilding and carrying
interests.
Gen. Zurlinden's Good Fortune.
PARIS, Sept. 20.-The cabinet council this