The record-union., 1899-12-10


which demand concessions and more or
less of reciprocal favor But when II
comes to what we should concede, how
far reciprocity should be extended, to
what alliances commercial and other
wise we should commit ourselves, we
are confronted with very grave ques-
tons Generally it may be said that
each case as it presents must be treat
ed Independently; that no hard and
fast rule of action can prevail. and that
therefore it would be exceedingly un-
wise to make a general and sweeping
commercial alliance compact with two
or more nations concerning the shar-
ing of trade advantages in third,
which, as in the case of China, is IN
almost helpless condition.
However, to give Mr. Gore the benefit
of his claim it is proper to say that
he carries his argument in favor of now
making arrangements with Germany
for reciprocity that may go so far as
to look toward free trade, with its
ethical injunction to live and help live"
The United States, it may be assumed,
will not cease to become a protectionist
nation, certainly not in the present or
the early future. Mr.. Cores reasons
why we should be kindly inclined, in
deed solicitous to effect reciprocal re-
lations with Germany on a very broad
plan, whether they run to the extent of
Involving suggestion of an alliance or
not, may be for general information
stated.
He points out that:
We have country with unparalleled
natural facilities for manufactures and
agricultural pursuits, with an ingeni-
GUS people utilizing machinery in every
possible direction, with a territory so
vast as to include soil and climate
adapted to all the forms of food de-
manded by man and beast, and with
mines to yield many sorts Of ores as
well as the coal for their reduction But
with these blessings blessings in abud-
ance-there may be a limit to our in
dustrial advance.
Under normal conditions two causes
can arrest our progress viz, scarcity of
labor and a loss Of our agricultural ex-
ports. With the immigration we have
nae in such abundant measure, to-
getvFr with our increase in native popu-
lation, it would seem impossible that
labor should ever be scarce. In guam
tity, perhaps this may be true; but for
the manufactures some skill is re-
quired, and intelligence above the or
binary is needed. Then, for each addi-
tional five or six families whole heads
are engaged in the shops or factories,
one farmer must start his plough for
their support, or else our exports must
De diminished by corresponding
amount. This farmer must take I'D
new lands, less productive than those
now faimed. or else subdivision of
lands now under cultiva ton must take
place. Both these steps have been
taken. The size of farms has decreased
from 1873 acres in 1850 to 1877 in 1890.
and the number of farms has increased
a great many fold in this period.
While the total acreage under cult
walton has increased rapidly, it has not
been greatly in excess of our increase
IN population; SO that we cannot expect
to continue to add to our exports of
foods unless we start upon a scheme
OF more intense cultivation. 1t is, there
lore, inevitable that sooner or later we
shall cease to control the food supplies
OF the world; and then, as other coun-
tries become Independent of us, we shall
become dependent upon them, or at
least shall no longer be in a position to
dictate terms of exchange. 1t is now,
while we are strong in agricultural and
industrial exports, that we can make
the best terms with the other members
In the family of nations; and it is now
that we can accept the principle of eco
non1ical division of labor, with its
corollary that looks toward free trade,
and with it's ethical injunction to live
and help live.