The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-08-12
"YOUNG AMERICAS oPPoRTUNI-


In one of its recent editorials the Mem
phis Commercial Appeal became really
amusing in its exhibition OF disjointednass
of argument and confusion of ideas. Our
Memphis contemporary is not generally
SO infeicitous in making a point, hut on
the occasion referred to 1t wanted to boost
imperialism or expansion little and it
travelled over ground that had no connec-
tion with territorial expansion, and made
ugly statements that had no basis, to
enforce one Of its now pet hobbies.
It's editorial was captioned Young
Americas Opportunities, and 1t proceeded
TO show. using as basis for its argument
recent large shipment OF American loco
motives abroad, that the vast growth of
our mechanical Industries and shipments
abroad OF our manufactures were rapidly
making the United States 1.-THE workshop
| OF the world" and that the skill OF the
American artisan was ''outstripping the
handicraft of all other nations" The con-
clusion was that young Americas oppor-
tunities were in Industrial education. In
fitting the youths of the land in greater
numbers than ever to build and operate
machinery to teach the rest of the world
how TO operate 1t as we do. In q word
the first half of the editorial appeared To
be plea for manual, mechanical. indus
trial training.
So far SO good. Few people NOWADAYS
dissent from such views. The funny part
of the Commercial Appeals argument
however, was when in the latter part of its
editorial 1t jumped direct to tho conolu
sion that the ant-expansionists would
proven the development of technical in
dustrial education and stop the multiple
cation OF machine shops in America and
leave young America without opnortunl-
ties! Here Is a portion of the Illogical and
foolish conclusion OF our Memphis contem-
porary:
Those narrow visioned anti .expansionists
Who desire this country to become Nation
OF boobies and landlubbers: who oppose a
navy, oppose eoaling stations. oppose the ac-
QUESTION OF stracslc points and way stations
on the high-road 10 the worlds markets will |
no doubt see nothing In the cargo OF the |
Puritan. because they will not see. Others |
less purblind Will realize that had we no |
navy and no power to compel respect to our |
flag. some OF the nations now competing with |
us and who have taken possession of the coast |
OF China could deny admittance TO our prod |
ucis or place a prohibitlvc tariH or them aud I
they would have TO be brought home and /
thrown IN the SCRAP heap TO rust Such an +
would bring disaster to American /
labor through all its qualifications from the |
Dnvil where the anchor Is forged to the I
Fields where the food and clothing are OBJ \
tanned.
This is simply rambling. 1t has about /
as much connection with the question OF I
the mechanical education OF Young L
America" as 1t has with the Dreyfus case.
But It is more than rambling--it is a
baseless Misrepresentation OF the position
of the undergraduates and an apparent
ignorance OF this countrys past develop
ment and the lines along which the deyel-
opment occurred-peaceful purposes to-
ward all and strict attention TO our own
business. avoiding great ornaments and |.
International complications.
As matter OF fact, the marrow
visioned antl-expansionists," and practi- |
rally all other people In this country, favor
he construction Of large navy and the !
acquisition OF coaling stations. This is
n fact the plan that We propose instead a
If the conquest Of distant islands We b
would not shoot our own way into the q
channels OF foreign trade. as the CONNER 2
'ial Appeal would have us do, but build Up 9
'ur commerce Just as we have done and
hen BIO prepared to protect 1t and to pre- \
'ent hostile regulations against us or en- !
by others endangering our in- =
erests We have grown to be the largest ;,
Exporting nation on earth within the past n
CIV years. and our trade continues to in I,
rease' But the Commercial Appeal for a
cts that this has been accomplished with.
ut Joining European coalitions for land
rabbing, or even thinking OF doing II OF
ingly, until this administration raised the 4
amer OF conquest and imperialism last n,
earl al
10 the Commercial Appeal actually igno. a,
ant q our commercial expansion under = =