The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1901-06-26

M
"cy In Trade Eagerly watched by
the world.
An Important and highly significant
interview was given to Walter Well
man. the Washington correspondent OF
the Chicago Record Herald. the other
day 10y Secretary Of the Treasury Gage.
who is now, in the absence of the pres-
dent virtually at the head Of the Amer
lean government
The secretary replies TO those Euro.
pean statesmen who have suggested an
international combination against the
United states and tells them such a
combination is impossible. lie init.
mates that we are as Il nation so strong
III our resources Of men, money and
war material that the world would not
dare attack us, even if there was any
thing to be gained 10y doing so.
Al the same time he warns Ameri-
cans that although they have made
rapid strides 10 the frcnt and have as.
sumed leadership Of the world I'm all
the elements Of national power they
must not permit themselves TO become
intoxicated with success. American
foreign policy, the secretary cautiously
points out must be prudent and e0uita-
bic in order 10 avoid giving justifica.
ton for the suspicious which are now
so rife In the old world
When Secretary Gage was asked IL
he thought the wonderful success Of
the United States In the fields Of trnde.
finance and wealth getting were likely
TO lead to such changes in our nterna-
tional policies as those which Europe.
ans profess to he afraid Of or 10 pos.
sihlc combination OF the great powers
of the old world against this country.
be replied in carefully considered
words as follows
1--WE have Witnessed during the last
three or four years a remarkable devcl-
Opmcnt In our international Industrial
relations. There has not only been am
enormous increase iu our expectation
Of the products Of the soil. but OF man
ufacturcd goods also. bringing other
nations into our debt. according TO the
commercial balance sheet. during the
short period OF three years to an
amount something like St.IOO 100000
us this a true prophecy as 10 what
the future Is To show or is il "a passing
phenomenon? That this has resulted i'm
"A great accretou TO our wealth as
people goes without saying The cnor-
nous debtor balance against other
countries has been largely settled Cor
no doubt by the transfer to our people
Of American obligations formerly held
by foreigners, but which are now. In
the course Of trade settlements. IN the
possession of our own people The in.
terest payments which formerly went
, abroad are now TO great extent re-
tanned at home.
This condition Of affairs has excited
the attention Of the world Our neigh
bors look at us with questioning eyes.
eager to ascertair what our place in
the future is to be In international com
merce and trade relationships.
The responsibilities Of our people in
view of these great changes are broad
ened and dcepencd. Soberness and dis
cretion should be our guides We ought
not 10 be intoxicated 10y the appearance
of success which the last three or four
years have brought. Three or four
years Is but a brief period in n coun-
try's history, and all human affairs are
subject TO viclssitudes. Some bring
J with them depression, as others give a
sense Of elation and triumph"
There has been much talk abroad
that Americas wonderful development
will excite hostility and perhaps Eu-
ropcan combination against us. What
do you think of that"
"Ths possibility is not to be lost
sight Of Neither is it TO be greatly APP
pretended. II anything could bring it
9 about. nothing would be more likely to
do so perhaps than some OF the express
slons which have dropped from the
public platform or which appear from
2 time to time IN too jubilant editorials
In the daily press. These are read by
the foreigner without making due al
lowauce for the cXuberance of the
American mind, and as human nature,
y, according to Burke, Is as much moved
by Imagination as il is by reason our
friends on the other side Of the ocean
are liable to take undue alarm not only
as to what we have already achieved
but as to exaggerated theories concern
ing the plans which we have in hand
for the future"
at has been hinted In Europe that
, the combination against the United
States may take the form not only OF
trade opposition, but Of military con
flictY
"There may be attempts at combina-
tion between our commercial rivals by
means Of tariffs or trade regulations
designed TO restric. the freedom with
j which our goods enter foreign mar
kets." replied Mr. Gage but in this
partleular there is little likelihood OF
any permanent success. The leading
nations are not only rivals with us, but
with ,ne another Their domestic poll
L cies and their international policies ar
II fer from each other, and anything ike