The Washington times., 1901-07-16
Circulation Statement.
Our Pacific Trade Problem.

President James ]. Hill, of the GTea'
Northern railway system, in a recent
conversation, is quoted as saying tina
the wider extension of trade facilitie:
in China and other Oriental countries
will open a market for American pro
ducts of vast proportions, but that i
would be necessary for the American
Government and people to make care
full and comprehensive preparations in
order to be able to avail themselves OF
the opportunity which the new condi-
tons will offer. Mr.. Hills argument
is interesting and adroit if not @onclu-
sive 1t amounts to this: OF the sew
enty-four million people living east Of
the Rocky Mountains, he considers
that probably one-half are supported
directly or indirectly. wholly or par
TALLY, by the commerce with the four
hundred million people in Europe and
Africa who trade with us across the
Atlantic But opposite our Western
coast there are a thousand million
folk as compared With only three mil
lion in our Pacific States to sustain
commerce with them. With the ex-
ceptions of manufactured goods and
cotton, the bulk of the Far Eastern de-
mand will be for grain and -four. AS
railway freight rates are prohibitive,
as far as the cereal products of the
Central West are concerned, Mr.. Hill
and others interested in trans CONT
mental transportation under present
conditions express the conviction that
the grain for Asiatic consumption must
be grown in the thousand mile square
patch comparatively near the Pacific,
in the arid region. every acre of which
must be irrigated to yield harvests.
Were that done, he believes that soon
there would be twenty instead Of three
million people to raise the crops neces-
sary to feed our Pacific trade.
1t is understood that, with a view to
the accomplishment Of so desirable an
end, Congress next winter is to be
asked to authorize the issue of a hun
dred million dollars or Sc in Govern
ment bonds for the purpose of con-
structing the irrigation works which
MIR. Hill and other railway magnates
regard as necessary to lay the foundd-
tions of the new agricultural industry.
Were that done and the system sue
cessfully completed, it is evident that
the Hill railways and steamship lines
would be enormously benefited. 1t IS
possible, however We're we to elimi-
nate the rans-continental railway in
terests from the consideration, that. as
far as the country in general is con-
cerned, the end could be reached in a
way other than by such an expensive
imitation of our agricultural production
as the advocates of irrigation at Gov
ernment expense are working for.
1t is true that at present the cost of
carriage by rail is high enough to shut
out the grain of our chief cereal States
from Pacific Coast terminals. But the
Nicaragua Canal would overcome that
obstacle at once. When the projected
national waterway between the oceans
should be available. the wheat and
-four OF the Northwest and Central
West would pass down the Misso ri
and Mississippi Rivers, and reach San
Francisco at freight charge as low
as probably would be charged were
the same commodities carried by rail
from tHe prcleCteQ irrigation lIStriClS-
The construction of the canal would
furnish new and great outlet for the
surplus OF our present grain produc-
ing area, which, it is as well to remem-
Der. has expanded as rapidly at least
as the demand upon its productive ca
pacity. Before taxing the people of
the country generally to artificially
create new cereal region in the far
West, perhaps it would be as we'll TO
find means for utilizing the agricai-
tural resources already at our COM
mand. The Nicaragua Canal Is the
only irrigation ditch necessary TO dig
with that end in view. Mr.. Hills sug-
eested alternative would further en-
rich him and his friends: but, much
as the country would delight in such
an agreeable consummation, the
chances are that it would not approve
of the national irrigation scheme. even
were that entirely feasible. which is
matter of considerable doubt.