Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-02-22
COST or EXPANSION.

What colonies cost Is a subject OF no
little interest to this country at pres
ent. Statistics issued by the Bureau
at Berlin have been published BY the
San Francisco Call, showing the ex-
pense Germany's colonies have been to
the Fatherland. According to these fig
ures, Germany imported last year goods
to the value Of 4,6l7OOO marks and ex-
ported goods TO the value Of l0,l4s.0O0
marks. To obtain this trade, the gov
eminent spent li.7ss,OOe marks or $4,000
more than the total trade amounted TO.
But this, It Is claimed, does not rep
resent the entire cost Of the colonial
policy. Famine and sickness have been
encountered In German East Africa,
and caused enormous loss TO the EN-
pire. In the district Of Tanga, the pop
ulation is said to have diminished from
l23s0s TO 6l.32s, by means OF famine,
leprosy smallpox, and typhoid fever
The colony Is three times the size OF
Germany, but It's trade Is mostly with
British India. The German people are
taxed heavily for the maintenance Of
German supremacy over territory from
which but little revenue is obtained.
The figures are made public for the
purpose Of showing the folly OF policy
that seeks expansion in tropical re-
glons. But there are two sides to every
story. Europe has during the latter
part Of this century been under the
necessity Of sending out from her over
crowded contries about 10000, 900 people
who have taken up their abode in
different parts Of the world, And the
swarming continues. In short time
there will be no non-"Christian" coun-
try except Japan over which European
influence does not extend The great
powers must either secure colonies for
their surplus population, or suffer this
surplus to merge into other nations.
Germany especially cannot exist as a
great empire unless she can seize and
hold an abundance OF territory for her
rapidly growing population, The colon
lal policy Is, from a natlonallstic stand
point undoubtedly correct.
This In proved by the fact that the
great powers which command the
worlds finances tenaclously hold to
their colonies. and lndustrlously look
for new openings II is not known that
Great Britain Is willing to give up India.
or South Africa, notwithstanding the
enormous cost OF maintaining British
sovereignty. Russia would seem to
control territory enough for ten nations,
but the imperial government Is stlll
seeking to expand the boundaries Of the
country In nearly every direction. II Is
understood that colony is not as a
rule self-supporting from the beginning,
but II is also quite apparent that the
rulers OF nations have found colonial
expenditures some OF the best paying
investments. All depends on circum-
stances. strong government, sound
morally and guided by the principles OF
justice viii grow stronger and stronger
AZ SIS domain Is extended and its OPP
portuniiles are enlarged. II Is only
when corruption and decay set In that
area and multitude aggrayale the con-
ditian.
II there Is any particular lesson the
United States have 10 learn fromEurope.
& Is certainly not any against legiti-
mate expansion. Europe is the smallest
OF continents, yet her inhabitants all
but dominate the entire world. With
out expansion the monarchles OF Eu-
rope would be where India and China
are today.