Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-05-17
POPUL|ST NOMINEE
Wharton Barker Talks on His Presi-
Dental Prospects.
WILL PUT Up AN ACTIVE FIGHT
Issues That viii Be Brought Into
the Campaign.
TRADE WITH CHIN A

TRADE WITH CHIN A
President Mckinley this morning had
talk with one of his opponents in the coming
presidential race Wharton Barker. the
nominee of the Cincinnati convention of the
middle-of-the-road populists. called on the
President to pay his respects. He has
known the President ever since the latter
entered public life, and they have always
been good friends personally. At one time
they were close to each other politically.
As to the latter. however Mr. Barker SAID
he and his party would put up the hardest
fight ever known by a third party in the
United States, and would come nearer maxi
ing q successful contest than ever before
While at the White House Mr.. Barker
met Senator Garter. another old friend, and
they sat on a sofa in the east room and
talked for a while. Mr.. Barker talked to a
representative Of The Star to the political
prospects of himself and the other two GER
tain nominees for the presidency.
Mr.. Barker on His Prospects.
My nomination. he said. makes the
nomination of Bryan impossible, If the
democrats want to nominate a man who
winning. In the last presidential election
Bryan received about G,5oo.W1 votes. OF
this number at least ..ttn0Pn We're rcpu-
lists This year l viii! get 1J03.@o of the
populist votes for certain, and probably
1.75o.0oo This will cut Bryans vote to
5OO0Hs. Where is he going to get the
other votes necessary to elect him? 1t is
estimated that President Mckinley received
..rnHD votes from the democratic ranks
four years ago. These will not go to Bryan
70 l,e,, Yea and a deduct
from the vote which President Mckinley
will receive. If German or some ether east
ern man should be selected by the demo-
Gratis this year he would carry New York.
New Jersey Maryland and Delaware in
the east. not to take into consideration any
of the doubtful states elsewhere. | believe
my own party will increase its vote to
surprising degree. l am not going to say
where we expect the increased vote from,
but You can state that The party managers
are preparing fer an active and energetic
campaign.
"On money and other issues which We're
so prominent four years ago.
Issues This Year.
NO. The fight this year will be on
other questions than money. For the time
being that is put aside. Transportation.
expansion and other live questions VIII
make up the issues. l believe in CONNER
cial expansion, but it cannot be made sue
cessful with the bayonet and cannon. All
trade gained that way will forever be
trouble to us. one of the first things
President Garfield promised me after his
nomination was to call tht. South Ameri-
can nations together in congress to agree,
if possible. upon satisfactory trade rela-
tiOns. General Garfield conferred with Mr.
Blaine, and the Invitations were sent out
for the congress. | want expansion on
natural lines and commercial agreements
with countries supplying different products
to our own.
% ,I,1
carried away now with the idea that we
are holding the Philippines to make them
the base Of operations in a commercial way
with China. Well, l want to predict that
the trade of this country with China will
never reach more than half the amount we
are now spending on military to keep the
Philippines in our possession. l would like
to give you some figures to the CONNER
cial dealings of China that l think will
tonsh those not familiar with them. The
total import and export trade Of China has
never exceeded sos, ,oGo0o1 in a year. The
greatest amount of goods China ever pur-
chased in a year was S15oOou,ooO. OF this
amount America sent $2ono.ooo. We
usually sell China about $1600o,uoo a year
Great Britain's exports to China never ex-
cecded $i2,Ooo,uD in one year. TIE people
of China are much brighter than is sup
posed. They not fools commercially
or financially, and they will never buy more
stuff abroad than they sell. They are GO
ing TO keep the balance account on their
side.
His knowledge of China.
Il believe 1 know something of China.
The Chinese government began to consult
me in 1887. sending to this country a special
commission of three mandarins. who stayed
three months at my home in Pennsylvania
and discussed trade matters with me- l
went to China in 1870. on the invitation of
Ii Hung Chang, and remained there long
time giving advice on commercial affairs.
t. V.,,,. T
for again. going 70 Pekin accompanied by
special escort in charge Of Cheng Ven HoCn,
who was at one time the Chinese minister
to the United States. For many years my
business relations with the Chinese have
been as intimate as my personal relations,
and 1 do not talk from theory The China
man is great man. Intellectually he is
the equal of the citizen of Japan. All
classes of the people of China are equal to
those of Japan. This applies to citizenship.
energy, trade and commerce / have studied
the Japanese a great deal. AS trustee Of
the University of Virginia, | frequently con-
suit with Japanese pupils.
The Chinaman Is going to buy goods of
the west just so long as he needs samples.
Only for this purpose will he ever buy
much. and all the worry we are having
now will be useless. China is really mem
ace today to the rest of the world, indus
trially That country may be divided po-
divided industrially. The Chinese are fru-
gal, honest, Industrious and home-lovng.
They more initiative than the Japanese,
and today they are forging forward at a
giants pace in knowledge of the industrial
world When they reach the pace the re-
mainder of the world is going the danger
will be great.
Trade With the Country VIII Not In
crease.
"In a recent speech at Philadelphia a
member of the administration made the as
sertion that the consumptive power of the
people of this country has diminished so
that in years time we cannot consume
half of the output. The other half must be
placed somewhere. and therefore the for
eign markets are sought. Our foreign trade
will continue to grow in many directions,
but will make little increase in China. Sup
pose we should get all of the Chinese trade?
II would amount to comparatively little.
Suppose stimulate the trade of China?
To do we will have to force the price of
our labor down to produce goods for ship
ment to China cheaper than England and
other countries. Even then the trade would
be temporary.
II do not desire to have it understood,
however. that / am in favor of giving the
Philippines up outright. We must not
march away from the islands, inasmuch as
We received them in a proper manner and
before the world are responsible for them.
Let us extend the principle of the Monroe
r;p th1, ND fan