The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-10-14
AND THE UNITED STATES.

\
Mark Twain. who is now on his way
home, after an extended European tour,
expressed the following opinion in Lon
don the other day:
England is the best friend we have GOT
IN europe, and we are the only friend
she's got on earth. No one ventures to
suggest a formal offensive and defensive
alliance, but it is to our mutual interest
that sentiment along that line should
time is coming when each of the two
great peoples will need it in their bust
ness 1t IS out of my line to be pess1-
cert. which has already become a comedy.
is likely to end in a tragedy When the
crash comes It will be best for England,
pest PEST LOT america: and best Tor the world,
that the union jack and the stars and
STRIPES should wave together"
TO proper consideration and appre-
citation of such logic, knowledge of the
paramount tendency and of world eco
nomics is essential. 1t would be equally
shallow for the purely lingo spirit to adj
vocate an alliance with England, or for
the ultra conservative to reject all ten
dency toward cooperation between the
two countries in an affair Of such magni-
tude as the Chinese question It is nee
sary first to understand the Chinese
such understanding a good knowledge of
the history of nations since the days of
the Modes and Persians is necessary.
Americans have been more or less OBJ
livious to the great controlling force in
the ultimate and solid prosperity Of lead
ing nations, because heretofore there has
been an ample field for industrial devel-
opment within the boundaries Of this
country A new country of such vast
magnitude as ours, naturally REQUIRES
time to develop, and its own resources
cannot be expected to at once envelop
all domestic opportunities. Thus, while
we have been growing within our boun-
daries, we nave not been very mindful of
the problem that must confront us as
soon as natural and necessary progress
causes surplus of production in ali
lines. In many lines of industry that sur
plus is already visible, and there is a
gradual awakening to the fact that new
and vast markets must be had if produce
ton is to continue at the present rate
There is no idea of curtailing production
for that would mean stagnation and
widespread want among the people We
must, for our own sake as a nation, con-
tinue to produce an increasing surplus,
and for that surplus, whatever it may be,
we simply must find markets.
Every great nation in the history of the
world has arrived at this point at one
time in its career, and each one has at
that stage turned toward the Orient for
commercial salvation. Necessity has al
ways been considered so great that the
bloodiest wars in history have been
waged over the Eastern markets. Those
nations that have succeeded In Obtaining
the markets have been the most powerful
and prosperous, and those that have re-
tanned such advantage have Invariably
retained their own prestige In short.
beyond a certain point In progress and
development. every great nation has
found, and will continue to find, the
stagnation or prosperity, of discomfort
and poverty among its own working peo-
pie or the reverse of that condition. II
is natural that there exists a fesliur of
intense seliishness among al of the pow
ers, and this begots distrust. schcming
for advantage, as well as combination
having in view the eontrol of privileges
at the expense of others not IN the COM
hine.
We must turn to the Oriental markets
as matter of commercial life or death.
So must England indeed. that gentry
has been in the Orient Tor many years.
and it is now largely question Of bold
ing her own. ;sussia. Germany and
france are Influenced by the sarae COM
merc.ai necessity, and while tie discuss