The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-11-18

10 regulate things in general and particu-
lar, but It appears that it is rot.
THE UNITED STATES IN THE ORIENT.
Few books of less than 3Oc pages contain
so many facts and deductions of the high
est interest TO the American people as does
mr.. Conant's THE United States in tn.
Orient" published by Houghton. Miffin x
Co. Mr.. Conant. It may be added. was as
sistant secretary of the treasury under Mr..
Cleveland. Those who oppose expansion
should not be called traitors is Mr.. Co.
nant's opinion, nor should those who see
something proyidential in Admiral Dewey's
victory in the Philippines be denounced as
imperIalists or as men melted by the bru-
tality of commercial greed. Expansion,
Mr.. conant declares, is an Industrial neces-
sity Of the United States. The enormous
growth of accumulated wealth in the great
industrial nations-so great in this country
as to be marvellous, as the author shows
by statistics--makes the expansion OF trade
necessity. Every year it is harder and
harder to find safe and profitable invest
ment for surplus capital. For years it has
been invested in manufacturing enterprises
but now these enterprises, as we'll as the
capital, demand new fields unless the peo-
pie Of this country are willing to stand
still for a season and then go backward
We are manufacturing more than we can
consume. because capital and invention
have increased the productive capacity of
labor. Either markets must be found out
side or We must prepare for long seasons
of idlensss and stagnation, resulting iii
disaster 10 enterprise and greater disaster
TO wage earners. The rapidly accumulat-
ing capital. largely the savings of labor,
will soon have little value rs an interest
Garner unless fields for It's investment are
found in other lands.
1t is useless to seek markets in countries
in which our competitors are opera ting and
which themselves are seeking markets out
side their borders. We must look to what
the writer calls the decadent peoples and
the countries they occupy for markets and
fields for investment. Taking this view of
the subject, Mr.. Conant regards the acct
dent which compelled Admiral Dewey to
fight and win victory in Manila bay,
which made it necessary for him 10 re-
main in the Philippines. Americas OPP
portunity. Mr.. Conant sees no danger in
our taking advantage of that opportunity.
Whether this policy carries with it the
direct government of groups of half-sav-
age islands may he a subject for argu-
ment." says Mr.. Conant, "but upon the
economic side of the question there is but
one choice-either to enter by some means
upon the competition for the employment
of American capital and enterprise in these
countries, or to continue the needless du-
plication of existing means of production
and communication with the glut Of I'M
consumed products, the commissions follow
ing trade stagnation, and the steadily de-
Ginning return upon investments which a
negative policy will involve" Some people
will shake their heads at the boldness of
the writer's declaration that whether the
United States shall actually acquire terri
torial possessions, set up captain general
ships and garrisons. or adopt the middle
ground of protecting sCvereignties nomi-
nally independent, or content themselves
with naval stations and diplomatic repre-
sentatives for asserting the rights of free
commerce in the East is a matter of de-
tail. so long as a fair field for American
trade and capital is acquired. In COMPARE
son with the economic issue which expan-
sion involves the means employed. so long
as the purpose is to afford equal opportu-
nifty to all and to be the champion of the
future in the realization of its highest
ideals, of secondary Importance. Tt
Is no time to seek precedents or to consult
the fears of the tinid; the great Republic
must go forward and fulfill the mission
which was revealed by the flash of Dewey's
guns in the bay of Manila. That party VIII
rule the country which has a continuous
national policy, pledged to keep open the
world markets upon conditions of equal
opportunity, because it will command the
support of the intelligence of the country
and of all far-seeing men who desire the
perpetuation of the ideals of Anglo-Saxon
civilization