The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-10-25
L[':AUGHLIN SPEAKS

:
PROFESSOR POLITICAL ECON
oMY AGAINST M'KiNLEY.
Famous University Man Tells His Glasses
He Will Not Vote for Republicans
This Year-He Opposed 16 to IL In
1906.
Prof. ]. Laurence Laughlfn, who was
one OF William McKinley's most ener-
getic supporters four years ago. and
VINO took prominent part in debates
with Coin" Harvey, advocating the
single gold standard. has announced to
MS classes at the University Of Chi
cago that he cannot cast his ballot for
the Mckinley administration. Prof.
Laughlin gives as his reason for the
detection President McTinley's atti-
tude on the question of Imperialism.
The course of the present admins
tration is opposed To tho very origin
and genius Of our institutions" he in
"aS'S'. aklN i CduHJ. NOIG IUT MCNlH-
ley"
Prof Laughlin is head of the depart
ment of political science at the Uni
versity of Chicago. He believes that
American commerce can never be in
creased by the methods of Imperialism
alone.
Trade does not follow the flag" he
insists, but on the contrary, the flag
follows trade. When American ability
to compete in foreign markets is
proved there trade will go and later
the protecting flag will follow.
There is no need of words how we
came by the Philippines. The war on
those islands was due to some ones
blunder. They tell us that we must
stay on the islands to obtain markets
for our manufacturers; that the Philip
pines will provide basis of trade with
the Orient. They tell us that we ought
to conduct the war to this end even at
a cost of countless lives and millions
of dollars.
"The argument that this course is IN
effectual means to trade expansion is
fallacious. Go back to the years be-
tween 1883 and 1890 and you will find
that the total annual value of the ex-
ports and imports in the Philippine
islands was s34,0OOO00. Supposing that
this trade was all under American
control and that it paid fair rate of
profit, say 10 per cent. it would be in
sufficient even to pay the interest on
our war loan.
Increasing trade will not depend on
our owning the Philippines. After we
get them we must open the doors of
trade to other nations on about the
same conditions as we ourselves enjoy.
Then to sell goods to the islanders we
must make the prices as low as those
of other nations. Our ability to COM
pete with these other nations will de-
pend upon the industrial conditions at
home.
The fact that the value of Ameri-
can exports has reached sum never
equaled before refutes the claim that
we need foreign ports to sell goods.
Whether America shall sell to the Fill
ipinos much or little depends upon
what the islanders can produce to offer
us and upon our ability to supply the
goods they desire cheaper than any
other nation. If American manufac-
turers wish to sell goods on the east
ern markets the, conditions at home
must be looked after,
"The ability to sell depends upon
Americas natural resources, on the
efficiency of labor and the organization
of industries. Also on the low cost of
transportation, the knowledge of for
eign markets and the adaptability to
the customs and the prejudices Of buy
ers.
America has taken the lead in iron
and steel trade because of the abund-
ance of ores. the improved machinery
for loading and the capacity of trans
ports. European contracts for bridge
building and railroad construction
come to Americans because advantages
similar to those enumerated enable
them to do the work cheaper and better
and faster than the British firms. And
so | say that trade with the Philip
pines depends more on the smoking
chimneys of the south than on the
rapid-firing guns of the army.
1t is the laboring man and the tax
payer who defray the enormous cost
of exploiting new country for the
benefit Of favored few who obtain
industrial concessions there. The
only commercial gains by conquest 90
to the few at the expense of the work
ingman and the taxpayer. The course
Of the present administration in ex-
plotting the Philippines is opposed to
the very origin and genius Of our in
situations.
Imperialism is the government of a
colony which has no equal share in
controlling the policy of the parent
state. This is exactly the system which
the American republic once repudi-
ated.
1T is the very elementary principle
on which the constitution is based.and
that principle is being betrayed. If
there is any historic sense in the Am
erican people they will reverse the pol
icy of imperialism, as the hope lies not
so much in presidents as in the houses
Of congress.
President Mckinley declared at At
lanta two years ago that the flag has
r. a -,