Omaha daily bee., 1899-01-09
FOR MATERIAL ADVANTAGE.

The New York Sun, one Of the most
radical of the organs Of expansion, says
that the expansion movement, while
1t appeals irrisistibly to the patriotic
pride II hopes of Americans, Is
founded upon Il ~hard-headed %apprecli-
ton of material advantage. If there had
been no war the necessity of expansion
would have been the same, but the op-
p%ortunity to widen commerce and open
new markets would have beef wanting
and expansion would have been de.
layed." Before the war the United
States had begun to make rapid progress
In commercial expansion. Our manu-
features had found their way into new
markets and were making successful COM
petition with foreign rivals where these
had long been in complete control. We
had invaded the home markets of Brit
ish manufacturers with our products of
iron and steel. We We're increasing our
Germany. We We're selling locomotives
to Russia. We were rapidly gaining
trade with China. Enterprise and our
ability to undersell competitors in certain
lines were leading us steadily and
certainly on to commercial supremacy.
There was no thought Of territorial ac-
QUESTION as a means Of commercial eX-
pansion. If it had been suggested a
year ago that the United States should
w territory in the Orient, even to the
extent of a naval station, on the score
of material advantage" the suggestion
The American people We're very well
satisfied with the situation and the out
look. They were content to depend upon
their energy and enterprise to win their
share Of the worlds commerce.
What opportunity to widen commerce
has come from the war? In the Phil
ippines it is proposed to maintain a
policy which will give no advantage to
the products of this country over those
Of other countries. We say to our COM
mercial rivals, you shall have an equal
chance in the trade of these islands
with ourselves. We will stand all the
expense of governing them and take all
the responsibility and the risks, but there
shall be no special favors for American
products in that market. Obviously we
can expect no material advantage in
the Philippines. But it Is said that pos
session Of the Philippines will give us a
better opportunity to expand our com
merce with China and other portions Of
the far east. This Is %fallacious. SO far
as the trade of China Is concerned it
has been as open to this country as to
other nations and will continue to be
as long as Great Britain is powerful
enough to insist upon the maintenance
Of existing conditions there. The open
door Of Chinese commerce established
by Great Britain would not be closed If
the United States should not possess a
foot of territory in the far east. But
grant that our commercial interests in
China may at some time be menaced by
European powers In control o. ~AInese
territory, will any rational man con-
tend that in order to protect those in
terestS it is necessary for us to hold the
entire Philippine archipelago?
The fact is, that acquisition of the
Philippines will afford us no oppor-
tunity for commercial expansion in that
quarter Of the world that we have not
had. We have declined to take any ad-
vantage for ourselves in the trade of
those Islands and the of China
has always been as open to us as to
other nations. Our commercial eXpaQ-