The Saint Paul globe., 1899-07-22
River Forecast till p. m. Saturday:
The river will remain nearly stationary
in the vicinity of ST. Paul.
EsTERDAY's TEMPERATURES.
time q p. m. St. PaulA
NEITHER TRUE NOR JUST

Lord Charles Beresford has recently
giVer expression through the Fall Mall
Gazette to certain views as to the mu-
tual gain to these states and England of
commercial and trade cooperation. These
views of the British admiral are really
very sensible in the main. They are,
moreover, very forcibly stated, and show
clearly enough that the two great Eng
disappearing races can gain great advan-
tages in the trade of the world by pro-
ceeding on parallel lines.
No American doubts the substantial
correctness of this general proposition.
Acting in concert and on anything like
equal terms, it is fairly certain that they
would command the bulk of the foreign
commerce of the world. But Sir Charles,
like many an over-enthusiastic advocate
before him, is sometimes generous with
his facts and proves more than his case
demands. After showing that England
is cur largest customer, and that the food
of TIE British workingman is more de-
pendent Oh the United States than on
any other ration, the admiral, for in
stance. reaches beyond MS mark when
he adds:
lean manufacturer abroad finds an open
market for his surplus products and free
trading, facilities, it is the British tax
payer, by means of the British fleet, who
has opened and kept that market open.
l am afraid that it is upon this latter
ground that the backwardness of the
United States to assist US in China is
based They believe that where our flag
goes their trade will follow. =
Sir Charles Beresford simply deceives
himself. Historically his statements are
utterly unfounded. Indeed, it is hard to
conceive a more glaring instance of unjust
misstatement -ir such a discussion. 1t
was we, not England, for instance, that
opened the Orient to outside trade. What
England has done in that direction with
reference to China has been done on pure
ly selfish lines as the entire history of
Hong Kong as a British port amply
proves.
AS matter of specific fact what is it
that British free trading or the British
fleet has done for us? Has it opened I'D
Canada or the Antipodes to us? Was it
british free trading which recently drove
our iron manufacturers from competition
In South Africa? What has either done
for us in South or Central America. in
China, Japan or the East Indies? Where
on the earths surface is it that a single
gain OF any kind has come to our COM
merce through England?
Sir Charles Beresford would do the
cause which he has so close to his heart
an enduring service if he would specify a
single instance of this kind Until he
does sc it is the grossest British imperti-
nence for him or anybody else to claim, as
he does, that we refuse to go into al
lance, commercial or otherwise, with
England, because Of any gain we are de-
irving, or have ever derived, from her
commercial policy or her naval fleet in
foreign lands.
We gain a commercial advantage in
our trade with the British islands by her
free trade policy, which she maintains for
her own benefit, not ours, and which, it is
to be observed, is conducted both ways in
British bottoms.