The Elbert County tribune., 1899-11-23
THE NATIONS TRADE.


the worlds markets during the past
three years has created amazement
and CONSERVATION In Europe. Prob
ably nothing like II has ever been seen
in the commercial world before.
Americans are building the new steel
bridge over the Atbara, In northeast
Africa. American mining machinery lis
driving out English and German In
South Africa. American canned beef
is used by the British government to
provision Its troops. American RAILWAY
tools and other appliances have sup
planted all others In the building OF
the new Siberian railway. Orders for
American locomotives are pouring In
from the continent Of Europe. Ameri-
can cotton goods nrc finding new mar
kets In the far east, and when peace
comes In the Philippines the trade VIII
advance by leaps and bounds.
Time wns when American exports
were nearly all raw materials. In
those days the Free Traders assured us
that this country might better restrict
Its energies to the production OF those
things in which 1t had natural ad-
vantage-wheat and corn and petro-
leum. and other raw products. leaving
to the older and better equipped ma
tions the task OF manufacturing. They
alleged tina; n protective tari1 never
could and never would build up manu-
featuring Industries to the point where
they could compete with those OF the
old countries. The theory was very
taking. to many minds; but It has been
disproved by facts, as many other
theories have. Look at the figures:
In 1902 we exported to foreign coun-
tries manufactured goods to the
amount of Si5s,510.037. 1t was about
the same the next year. There was
not much change until 1906, when
william Mckinley was elected presi-
dent. Then the figures jumped up to
$22s,57f,17S. In 1893 they had gone
up to $200607. 1854. and for the year
Just closed they were S33s,677.71. 1t
will be seen that instead of closing
against us. the markets Of the world
have opened wider than ever. Our
total exports abroad In 1891. after the
Wilson bill had gotten into good work
ing order, were $500. .140.572. Last
year they were S1.227 .205. .419. or an
increase of 25.O64.s4T.
On the other hand. Imports have de-
creased under the protective tariff fol-
lowing the Wilson law. We have been
using less OF foreign made goods. In
1893 we bought $500. 10O.022 worth
abroad. Last year we bought nearly
S200,O00.O00 less.
The home market is still the best
market in the world. and more and
more our manufacturers are controll-
ing It, Prices have not kept up to the
price Of foreign goods plus the amount
of the tarIff, as free traders said they
must keep up, but have decreased I'M
til our manufactures can undersell the
English and the German. In the same
quality Of goods, In very many lines of
production.
A new era has begun for American
trnde, Just ms n new era has begun po-
litically. The United States are now
world power of the first magnitude:
they are to be a worId-produccr. With
expanded productive power have come
expanded markets.
There are timid souls who shrink
from all thIs-who mourn over our for
mer magnificent isolation;' who in
sist on putting back the hands of times
dial. and fear that we shall never be
equal to our new responsibilities. But
these are the small minority. The
great majority of the American people
rejoice in the new opportunities, and
are not afraid of the new responsible
ties.