The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1901-03-02
WE DO NOT NEED THEM.

Do We need colonies and ship sub
sides in order to increase our for
eign trader The Republican party,
led by that illustrious statesmen,
Marcus Hanna, tells Us that they arc
| necessary. What do the facts of oul
| history tells us? For tue sake of ar
| irving at just and decisive Conclu-
sion about this matter it will be only
fair to note the growth Of our own
trade as compared with that Of other
countries during series OF years.
From 1910 to 1900 the foreign trade
Of Great Britain increased from
$751;, 900, 900 to t3,s2O,oOo,ooo, a
rise OF $50 per cent. During the
same period the foreign trade of the
United States increased from 1921,
200, 900 to s2,243,9O0,O0O, i rise Of
more than one thousand per cent.
During these years England has
been the greatest colonizer among
the nations of the earth. This coun-
try has never had any colonies until
the last year or two. England owns
tlfty-three per cent. Of the shipping
of the world while We have but nine
per cent. France has done very
little colonizing during the past
sixty years nevertheless the growth
OF her foreign commerce for that
time has been 424 per cent. as com.
pared with $50 per cent. for Great
Britain. Germany. also, never has
known anything Of the colonizinG
business until very recently and yet
her foreign trade from 1910 until
1900 increased 600 per cent. Neither
has the increase in the trade which
France and Germany enjoyed with
other nations been due to their ship
ping. France has but four per cent.
of the tonnage Of the worlds ship-
ping and Germany but little more
than eight per cent.
Such facts as those which We have
here adduced show how absolutely
false is the claim OF the Republi-
can party leaders that the ship sub.
sides and colonies are essential to
our national prosperity and the
growth Of our foreign trade. 1t is
grab at the national treas
uvy for the benefit Of the few at the
expense Of the many. The party
Of tue trusts has faltene,l ON jus,
such propositions and it is little won
der that its audacity is equal to such
3 mons,rous measure rs Hanna's |
bill. But happily, the cold, undo
liable facts are SO stcrnly against
Them that the people cannot but see
them.
These Two things ought TO be |
very clearly stated. They have
been demonstrated beyond any i'm
parchment Of the truth. First. it is
not at all necessary 10 own or con
troll a people in order to have their
trade. England owns Canada and
vet the statistics show tina. less than
)ne. third vt CAnada's trade goes TO
her. OF 1ndia's trade Great Britain
secures Onl y three: cnths. In the
ong run, nations like individuals
.radc in tie best market. They
put their money where they can get
he largest return Tor it. Second, a
,ation's foreign trade is not depend
mt for lis magnitude on whether the
treasury shall subsidize the
shipping interest. Steadily and
'urely We have reached the foremost,
'lace among the nations of the
world in the magnitude of our for
ign comm>rce-this has been done
o spite of England controlling more
han onr.half Of the worlds ship
'iag. 1t is true that it will be :,
lad day when there are more
American ships carrying American
,oods, but the reason that we have
'ot been bnilding them has not been
'ecause we are not able to, hut from
he fact that this nation has been
norc than busy building up its rail
Dads and internal commerce. There
, no reason why the men who build
hips should receive cash out of
ational funds than those who have
D do with other industries. Trade
as a way of regulating itself if
iven 4 chance.
Whatever the final decision of the I
upreme Court may be on the great =