The Irish standard., 1899-05-20

y
gains from their whole trade would be
eaten up by but one or two new ships
The whole Of the trade, however, cannot
be held by the United States-as every
one knows-any more than it was hele
by Spain. Therefore, the actual profit:
OF our share in the whole would be SC
insignificant as not to be worth the los:
OF one American soldier; pitiful sum
to offer a great nation as return 10,
dishonor.
ut will be said, however that unde,
strong government, and modern meth
DDS OF industry the islands will develor
an enormous wealth in the future, which
we should control and profit by. Gran
that-although to me it seems doubtful
insist that whether the United States
obtains share or not of this increasing
trade will depend not at all upon our
owning the Philippine islands. 1t is un-
derstood by the world that we cannot
adopt the exclusive policy OF Spain and
shut up the ports to all trade but our
own. Since we must admit all other ma
tons to the Philippine ports upon the
same terms that we enjoy, our ability to
compete there will depend entirely upon
our industrial conditions at home. I'm
der conditions wholly independent OF
the war with Spain we have raised the
value OF our exports to foreign markets
to sum never reached before in all our
history That in itself is full and suf-
hclent refutation to the claim that we
need to own foreign ports in order to
sell OUR goods. We would not sell any
more OF our goods or any different
goods to Great Britain than we sell to-
day, even ii we owned every inch OF the
British islands. Whether we shall sell
much or little to the Philippine islands
depends upon what they can produce to
offer us and upon our ability to supply
the goods they desire cheaper than other
nations. Only natives can be counted
upon as laborers able to withstand the
deadly malaria and fevers. Hence the
amount OF future production to be ex-
pected in those islands must grow very
slowly, certainly no faster than the de-
velopment of new capacities and quail
ties In race OF fixed customs and rigid
habits OF thinking. Our trade will be
limited by what they can purchase with
their own products, which are chiefly
hemp, sugar, copra and tobacco. l
question whether our farmers who are
beginning to grow beet sugar will well
come the competition OF Philippine sug-
ar.
On the other hand, what do they i'm
port that we can send them? Chiefly
rice, canned goods and vegetables, and
cotton goods, some iron and steel, kero-
sene, paper and various other articles in
small amounts.
IF we wish to increase our trade with
the Philippines or any other nation we
must look within, not without Our abil-
ity to sell i'll competition with others de-
ponds upon the richness of our natural
resources, the skill and efficiency OF our
laborers, the organization OF our i'll
dustries, the invention and use OF ma
chnery, low cost OF transportation by
sea and land, a knowledge OF foreign
markets and adaptability to the customs
and prcjudiccs OF Our buyers. Why have
the United States recently taken the
lead OF the world in the iron and steel
trade? Because OF the abundance and
cheapness OF Our ores, the wonderful
machinery by which it is loaded into and
out Of Ships, the great capacity OF new
transports on Our lakes, supplies of
good coal, the new methods OF coling
by which the smoke is consumed, pro-
duction in large quantities, skillful labor,
scientific management and low cost Of
transportation. The reason why the
bridge over the Atbara in Egypt for
General Kitchener was awarded to an
American firm was because the above
advantages allowed us to build it cheap
er and more quickly than the best firms
of Great Britain. 1t makes no differ
ence to Our trade who owns the Nile
if we can build the best bridge at the
lowest cost.
"Why has commerce between our
Pacific ports and the east greatly en-
banded OF late? For the reasons al
ready specified. And because the cot
ton factories OF the new south are send
ing their goods directly to the orient
across our western states. Our trade
with the Philippine islands depends far
more upon those smoking chimneys in
the south than upon the rapid-hre guns
of the army. Give us this wonderfully
low cost OF production in the south
where all the materials of the cotton and
iron industries are assembled together
by nature-and Our goods can no more
be kept Our OF foreign markets than
water can be prevented from flowing
downhill. Already, without colonies, our
export trade in manufactures has in
creased during 1SSo-o8 from $13S,ooo,o 900
to $500, 1000, 900, and our agricultural cx-
ports from $4,000, 900 to $S53,ooo,ooo.
What greater development could we
ask? In the same years Our exports to
China have quadrupled. If trade is
growing like this, why should we resort