Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-04-03
RESULT OF THE WAR
William Alden Smith on the Open
Door Agreement
MADE POSSIBLE BY OUR PROWESS
Vast importance Of Secretary Hays
Work.
GRAND TRADE POSSIBILITIES

Representative William Alden Smith of
Michigan, member of the House foreign af
fairs committee speaking with Star re-
porter this morning on the subject of the
Chinese open door agreement. >expressed the
opinion that the most beneficial results
would come, from the agreement.
1.-THE work of Mr. Hay" he said, 'in
bringing about the compact among the COM
mercial nations whereby the people of the
United States are assured equality of indus
trial opportunity in China with the peo-
pie of all other countries having or ac-
quirng spheres of influence so called. is
the most important international agreement
made during the century when viewed from
an industrial standpoint. The resultant de-
ve!opment of trade between this country
and China during the next quarter CEN
fury will justify the statement that 1t
tranScendS all treaties and compactS here
tofore entered into by our government in
its Importance and bearing upon our future
Industrial condition.
Our Industrial Future.
'In the development of our foreign trade
lies the greatest promise for Americas In
dustrial future. We have reached the point
where We must get into the markets of the
world with our ever-increasing surplus Of
products, if we are to avoid industrial stag
nation and retrogression, for the inventive
genius and productive capacity Of our peo-
pie has carried us beyond the point of mere
~ supplying our own needs and wants.
There Is no problem so vital for the future
welfare Of American labor as that of finding
sufficient outlets for the surplus of Ameri-
can products and manufactures. The in
dustrial forces Of the world will compel us
either to advance into broader fields of ac-
ttv1ty or to become submerged in the high
tide of our own productiveness
There can be no standing still. We must
move forward or step backward in the
struggle for Industrial supremacy between
the commercial nations Of the world
Increasing Productive Capacfty.
England and Germany, our greatest in
dustriai rivals, have reached practically
the same stage in industrial development
as has the United States-that is, each
country now produces more than it can
consume. This acceieration of productive
capacity has been greatest during the last
half century, in the United States while
Germany and England are fiercely struggling
for second place, with the odds at present
slightly In favor of Germany Even Japan
is acquiring productive capacity that is
rapidly overreaching her new and enlarging
needs and wants. This tendency of pro-
ductlon to accelerate more rapidly than
consumption does, is bringing each of the
advanced commercial countries face to face
with the necessity of finding its way into
the markets of all such countries as offer
absence of agreement to the contrary it is
but natural that the selfish interest of each
should prompt it to make the best of its
opportunities in such countries, and the
practical exclusion of competitors has here
tofore been deemed the most effective mol
icy for serving these selfish interests by all
countries saving. perhaps, England
Spheres of Influence
The contamination Of the open door
agreement as to China, far as its indus
trial bearing is concerned, is a practical
abandonment of the sphere of influence
claims of all nations in favor of the United
States. We have no hesitancy in saving
that Industrial influence in China will soon
become the dominant one, and It's sphere
Will be as broad and wide as is the terri
tory of the Chinese empire 1t will be
legitimate influence, gained and held by
honorable methods, clean competition in
trade and an unequaled capacity for pro-
duction. Never in the history of our coun-
try has such grand trade possibilities been
secured for the American people.
Made Possible by the War.
without intending to detract an iota
from the credit We concede to be due to
Secretary Hay for this masterpiece of diplo-
macy, we may be pardoned for raising the
question whether his magnificent work
would have accomplished its object but for
the Spanish-American war. Our democratic
friends may well pause to consider if this
diplomatic triumph was not made possible
by the lesson we have recently taught the
world regarding the fighting qualities Of
the American army and navy This OPEN
door agreement will in the future of the
American people be worth all the blood
and treasure expended by reason of that
war. The present standing of this country
among the nations of the world brought
about by reason of that conflict. will make
future wars less liable and our demands
and requests of other nations more suscep-
tible of a diplomatic settlement than they
have been. We do not believe the open door
in China would have been secured for us
without resort to display of force on our
part had we not demonstrated to the sat
isfaction of the great powers that the United
States is capable of backing its demands
with something stronger than diplomacy
when the occasion demands it,
BIG CROWD At BENNING