Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-09-02


One of the popular decisions Wnlch
the imperialists seek to foster Is that
territorial expansion is necessary 10
promote trade; that only by the &C
QUESTION of new territory may we hope
to find a market for our oyerplus OF
domestic manufacture. This deluslon
is contained in the recently adopted
platform of the Pennsylvania Repubh-
cans and it finds common expression IN
imperialistic literature. Like most OF
the other tenets of the imperlallstc
creed this idea has been imported from
England, a country which has followed
for many years the policy OF building
up a trade in some portion or the
earth's surface and then pleading the
necessity of protecting that trade as
an excuse for annexing or assuming
other control of the territory. Out OF
this practice has grown the doctrine OF
territorial acquisition as means of
enhancing trade.
1t is of course true that trade can be
enlarged by gaining control Of territory
and promoting therein conditions
favorable to trade; the delu5ion con-
sists in the belief that only by this
means may foreign trade be fostered.
All the facts of our foreign trade are
so contrary to this belief, even where
the tropical regions of the earth are
concerned, that their mere citation
ought to be convincing. The reports
of our foreign commerce published by
the bureau of statistics show contin-
uous growth of trade in all direction,
and this without the ownership of
any colonies at all, and prior to our
recent acquisitions of territory. We
are and have been building up large
trade with China and Japan without
Selling on Chinese territory or owning
coaling station in Japan or anywhere
near Japan; we are even successfully
competing with the British in some OF
THEIR OWN COLONIES,
we are continuously pressing forward
in our European commerce. And the
secret of our success in all these direc-
tons is simply business one-we pro-
duce better goods at cheaper prices. 1t
is not because we own territory any
where outside our own dominions that
we are extending our foreign commerce
so rapidly; it is not because we have
coaling stations and naval bases al
every conceivable point, nor is it be-
cause we have an efficient and power
full navy; but simply and solely be-
cause our merchants and manufacture
ers are effecting by business methods
the peaceful conquest of the foreign
markets.
The imperialists may point to Cuba
and our increased exports to that is
land as an instance to the contrary;
out the reply is at hand. Our present
trade with Cuba does not exceed in
volume that at the period of the reci-
procity treaties with Spain, and this
demonstrates that what we needed
was merely greater freedom of trade
with the West Indian islands. 1t is not
question of ownership at all; it is a
question of commercial enterprise and
freedom of trade Let the United
States grant freedom of trade with
her own ports and insist upon freedom
of trade as far as may be with other
nations and there will be no more need
of territorial expansion to secure for
eign trade than of a fifth wheel to a
coach. Fewer obstacles to trade, not
territorial ACKNOWLEDGMENT, should be
the American idea.
The treaty with the Sultan of Sulu
about which the imperialistic press is
doing so much Dragging, is a pretty
exact copy of the old treaty of the Sui
tan with Spain, to which an article has
been added permitting a slave
TO PURCHASE HIS FREEDOM.
This clause virtually acknowledges the
institution of slavery under the Ameri-
can flag, in contravention of the fed
eral constitution, which forbids slav-
cry anywhere within the United States
or ''any place subject TO their jurisdic-
ton" If the hosting of the American
flag over such an infraction of the con-
stitution as this be an imperialistic
triumph the expansionists are welcome
to make the most of il. Some of them
seem to think that if Aguinaldo had
been as docile as the Sultan of Sulu
there would have been no trouble in
Luzon. Undoubtedly, but Aguinald0
was never offered such terms as were
offered the Sultan, nor in fact was he
treated with at all 1t should be re-
membered that the Sultan, though ac-
knowledging American sovereignty,
has not surrendered his local author
ity. American sovereignty in effect is
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