New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-19
GIFTS or PEACE TO NEW-lORk.

| The returning Commissioners bear the frui'-
| ago of their Iabors to the whole Nation. Every
part of the Nation bore its proportion OF the
burdens of the war; and every part VIII ENJOY
| its proportion Of the blessings OF peace. lhs
State and city being the largest state ana CITY
in the Union their natural share OF bOth Dur-
dcns and blessings is largest. But me char-
acter Of New-YOrk and its relation 10 the Union
as the financial. commercial and Industrial cap
| ital are such as inevitably TO make this citys
share Of both far larger than II would be IL
based on the mere proportion of population.
The gifts of peace and empire which the Com
missiOners bring therefore in an especlal
and paramount sense gifts to New-lork, lot
her enjoyment, profit and glory: and IN so far
as they entail responsibility and duty they APP
peal TO the energy and justice and wisdom OF
! New-York.
Ii was the commerce Of the Port or New
York that most Of all suffered from the dis
turbances Of the Cuban rebellion and mat was
curtailed and checked by our war with Spain;
and II was the financial interests OF New-lorK
that were most keenly touched by the same
circumstances That commerce and those
financial interests have now been. by the work
/ of the Commissioners in restoring peace ana
in securing the liberation Of Cuba, splendidly
.
| The re-establishment of trade with Cuba and
/ of ncoce with Spain are Of inestimable value to
| New-York of the most practical kind and they
standing alone would cntitle the Peace Com
! missioners 10 the lasting and profound graft
! tude of this city, But they do not stand alone.
| They are not all the Commissioners nave
| achieved We are TO get the gifts. not only or
poace but Of empire. too. and the latter are III
| an exceDtional degree of value 10 New YORK.
For our new possessions are outlying. sepa-
rated from us by sea. They are 10 be reached
/ bv shipping and that shipping Is to proceed
! largely from the port Of NewIork. They are
| 10 buy and sell much goods. and those transac-
tions must be in the main in the newborn
market They are to be developed and i'm
proved by the use of capital, and that capital
must chiefly come from the banks and golfers
| of NewYork.
Let us consider for a moment the single Item
Of the trade not of Cuba. but of the Islands
which have been not merely redeemed from
Spanish rule. but actually added to the terri
torial possessions Of the United States; when
trade. despite all the open doors in the world
will henceforth inevitably gravitate more and
more to the United States, and therefore 10
New.York Porto Rico had in 1S95-the latest
wear for which accurate figures are available
/ axnorts of Sl5799ONO Of which S6,03J,9.3
wont 10 Spain and only S1573 900 to the United
States In the same year the imports were
STAG 200. of which SS.SS1,410 came from
Spain and only $l,910,00O from the United
States At that time the volume Of imports
into the island from this country was decreas-
ing Nothing Is more certain than that both
imports from and exports TO this country VIII
henceforward steadily and rapidly increase. I'M
i'll a far larger proportion of Porto Rican trade
will be with the United States yes. and with
this city Of NewYork- than has hitherto been
with Spain Moreover. the total of Porto Rican
trade less than S34. 100000. has been too small
for an island of nearly 100000 Inhabitants
Under the stimulus of American capital ana
enterprise it will doubtless be increased, to the
added profit of NewYork. There is no rash
ness in cxpccting that the trade between this
port and Porto Rico will scon be stated not in
millions. but in tens of millions Of dollars,
There is scarcely an article which Porto Rico
wants 10 buy which the United States cannot
furnish There IS scarcely anything which
Porto Rico wants to sell which this country
does not want to buy. And for both sale and
purchase and for shipments in both directions,
\ew-York is the best market and port. In the
Philippines the United States already enjoys a
and the bulk Of IL comes and goes by way or
New-York In annexing those islands to our
domain the Peace Commissioners have made
that trade secure have assured It's proportion
ate Increase and have also assured lis great
actual increase through American control and
cultivation Of the islands.
Such is In mere suggestion the work the Com
mlssioncrs have done for NewYork. II has
been common TO call this an imperial city, and
we do not know that the most ardent anti
expansionist has objected TO the appellaton
Far more appropriate will It be thus to call II
hcnceforth. when New-York Is the commercial
centre Of an empire extending through two
hemIspheres and three zones. From Newiork
will go heavily laden Erks bound for the
Spanish Main and for the long wash Of Aus
. tralasan seas" and TO NewYork they will
come back, reladen, from ports with strange
, names. in far-distant lands, but all under the
, Stars and Stripes. so that presently, by virtue
OF this treaty of peace. New-York Will be the
I centre of a commerce that is at once domestic
: and worldwide. And of those fleets and Of
, that commerce and Of the mighty increase in
, trade and wealth and magnitude that they will
bring to NewYork the five voyagerS, now speed
? ing hther on the St Louis. the sure pre-
cursors Their gift OF empire Is to NewYor,
I above all the rest Of the Nation, and above all
i. the rest Of the Nation New-York will know how
TO receive the gift and how to greet the givers
s THE BANNING PLAN.