The sun. (Wilmington, Del.) 1897-19??, 1901-07-01
MONDAY, JULY l, 1901.
THE COMING TRADE WAR.


American protective methods are now
threatening reprisals. American success
has at last demonstrated the truth of her
contentious Europe is now discussing
the propriety of following our example.
Something has occurred in this country
which has not occurred elsewhere Amer
lean industrial development is complete
and not one sided as in Europe. There
agriculture has been practically aban
doned for manufactures. Devotion to the
mechanical arts, aud to war. has drained
agriculture of its labor until il is prob
able that the ma nr part of European
farm labor is being done by women,
children and old men, with appliances
that have heen long ago discarded in this
has been the foster brother of the farm
er. Ii is the inventive skill Of the mo-
chanic, as much as the skill and enter
prise of the farmer that has laid the
great prairies of the west under cont
tribution to the general welfare and
made our industrial development com
plete-made the United States master
Of the situation III both agriculture ana
mechanics.
In discussing the probabilities of the
trade war and its results, these things
must be considered. Singularly. il was
England's inability To feed her people
that drove her to the adoption of til"
free trade policy. II is safe 10 predict
that She will not he able to put Il tariff
upon American food products that Nill
in any very serious way affect trade
in that direction. Indeed, Europe, and
let us say in Ibis connection. i'll Whole
world Is more o. lrss dcprulcat upon the
United States fUt fanl. This is i com
Try where ilmnr Is unknown. l.i>.
where ihey ar" frequent. Only recently
il was III British India thrn III Russia.
and now in China. Great Britain has
been struggling to free nciSc!f from IN
pendcnce upon th" United States for
food products for century And al
InoHGH sue mas SlWtau ner CuntlnrSiS
around the world, turned ireland into
potato patches, subiugatcd India, col
onizcd Australia aud Africa and held
vast possessions III America, enforcing
her idea of agricultural developments in
them all in order Ia maintain supremacy
in her chosen field o. manufactures, She
ic eti1l Jnt,np,1.,t,t INIT IL
for Corn" 4 great German writer,
urging tariff rcpriSnls against the Unit
ed States admits that German and Brit
iSh agriculture is IN 4 shattered condi-
ton" as n result Of American agricul-
tural development, and brmunns The fact
Of her now evident intent to invade Ger
man and British markets for supremacy
i'll manufactures AT This point, rs we
have suggested, IN this discussion, and IN
til" attempt 10 devise methods Of pro
ccdure the absolute Independence of the
United States must b. considered. Tariff
rcprisalS are not likely to seriously injnrc
onr trade in farm products. England
tried that And failed In manufactures
tariff rrprisnls can. if not prohibitory, do
little more than rtlualize the cost of 40
nestle and imported wares, Then III"
better American wares would b. pre-
fcrr"d So the war will probably be !;
war far the pre-emPting Of new markets
Asia, Africa ana South American mar
kctS, where raw products are TO he OK
changed f0r manufactures. These are To
be the prizes Of The war. II is toward
this end that the ship subsidy bill Is III
rectrd. 10 sell to IN advantage America
must transport her own wares not only
the present great expert If Food products
hut her manufactured wares. Without
ships defeat il tile coming trade war
would ~ very probable The plan is the
American plan Of helping ourselves 10
build nnr own ships, and ~ sal our own
ships Ills Is the plan proposed 10y The
Republican party. II viii come before
the next Congress for decision Al this
iHurturr il IS The most important measure
to lie considered The nsnlar problems
are in reality settled. II is true the Dem
Ocrats ~ not appear W comprehend that
fact, and are likely to waste Il great deal
Of energy III attempted unscttltln"nt or
what il settled, That is their way. The
commercial problem involves this. The
continued development and supremacy Of
-.mcricHn mechanical powers. with work
wages and prosperity for the people; on
as an alternative. the stagnaIinn aud de-
cline or onr trade with consequent losses
alike to the manufactures aud farmer;
for no foreign market could compensate
The farmer f.l the injury and loss Of Ills
market.
u therefore interested iii HE
~ the outcome of the
"irrrsted IN the
hat have
I'D