The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-05-23
TRADE AND THE FLAG.

Those advocates OF expansion who con-
tend that trade follows the flag" are Just
now confronted with facts furnished in
the recent history of our own and of Eng
lands foreign commerce that can not be
Ignored any more than they can be sue
cessfully reconciled with the flag and trade
theory.
The general theory that trade follows
the flag may be applicable where the
flag, or sovereignty. Is used to force
trade. II other nations are denied trade
opportunities In colony belonging to a
| commercial nation. In other words IL tho
door is closed" certain degree OF COM
mere can be acquired because of the flag
II on the other hand the door is open, -
1t is but natural that trade will follow
the plain principles OF business and that
the nation Offering the best bargains will
get the largest volume OF trade. The re-
cent illustrations. above referred to. Of
this fact. are found in the development
OF our commerce with Africa. where we
not only do not own any territory. but
where the American flag is rarely seen
even our carrying trade being largely In
other hands. In replying, to quote the
Literary Digest, ito two pro-expansion
arguments by John Barrett. our yeoent
minister to Siam, and by Senator Frye,
both OF whom held to the idea that trade
follows the flag. the Springfield (Mass.)
Republican says"
It is a curious fact that as these spokes-
mer were presenting what may be called the
administration view, the treasury department
at Washington was preparing to publish fig
ures exhibiting the utter absurdlty OF II from
a practical standpoint The British trade or
! ~ ne have been complaining that American
exports to South Africa are increasing much
| faster than British exports. 1t Ia pointed out
/ that in February, for example, the British
exports to British South Africa were only
about $40, 600 larger than in the same montn
| last year. while the American exports were
/ In the same time 1869, 300 larger. And In con-
/ rection with those figures the treasury bureau
! Of statistics ut Washington calls attention 20
/ the fact that our exports to Africa have IN
creased since 1894 from s. q23 $50 IN SIT bi5 100
| Nothing like such growth can be shown In
| the British export trade with that market
| Here, then, Is case where trade does not
| follow the flag, hut rather, as Il wore seeks
| % avoid the flag Political supremacy for
Great Britain I'm South Africa does not assure
commercial supremacy.
We have given assurances TO Europe that
In the new colonies we wou1 no. seek
| TO reserve for ourselves any special trade
advantages We could not, indeed, close
our colonial doors add vet insist that In the
| Acknowledgement OF China the door should
| be left open to us. We will be met thoro-
fore. on equal terms in the Philippines,
! for example. and must depend on the bar
gains we can offer rather than the flag
for our trade. What business we get we
will obtain only in open competition with
others. Just as we would have gotten It II
We had not seized the islands
The whole history of our expanding
| foreign trade in all parts of the world,
without the possession of colonies or
! trade depots, or even coaling stations. and
in competition with colonising nations like
! Great Britain and Germany aud Fran e.
/ refutes the assumption that territorial
conquest Is necessary to CONNER clal
growth or that trade follows the flag
! necessarily,