The age-herald., 1902-04-20
BANKERS SPEAK ON EXPANSION Ingalls,, Lowry and LOwden Were the Principal Speakers ALL MUST WORK T0GE TIER "lf We Would Make the Nation Rich and Powerful We Must Adopt
 a System In Line With
 Blaine's Teaching"
 
ALL MUST WORK T0GE THEIR

Chicago, April 19-The necessity of ex- pansion was the dominant theme at the banquet of the Bankers Club, which was held tonight at the Auditorium ho- tel The chief speakers of the evening were President M E. Ingalls, of the Big Four Railroad; Robert Lowry of Atlanta, Ga. and Frank O. Lowden of Chicago.
 The principal address of the evening was delivered by MT. Ingalls,, and his views found earnest support among his auditors. His address was in part as follows:
 Both parties In this country have noti- fled the world that they will uphold the Monroe doctrine. While foreign countries have accepted this political and arbitrary notice, they have been insidiously and ac- lively engaged in cultivating and com mercially annexing the West Indies isl- ands and the South American states by sending out their merchants, their manu- lecturers and their bankers, by loaning money by promoting enterprises and by long credits; and the time may come when we shall stand here, silently and alone, as the defender of a great doctrine but with no fruits to follow.
 To Build Up Transportation.
 "The very first thing to do to promote commerce and trade with the West In- l dies islands and the South American l states Is to build up system of trans- l portation and communication between l our country and these several ports and 1 cities. If our country today, instead of spending millions of dollars on subsidies which are to be used to compete with the fha nnrfh nd with the profitless trade of Europe, would | allow the postmaster general to spend whatever sum was necessary in carrying the mails at least once week between the United States and the principal ports of the West Indies islands and the South American states we should lind our commerce increasing and bankers estab- fishing agencies for furnishing exchange and credit. Too long, 1t seems to me, we have neglected our communications with these countries which belong to us, and now at this time, when we are proudly taking new departure, we must take some effective means to enlarge our busi- ness
 If we would make this nation as rich and powerful as it ought to be, II We would bring money and property to our selves and to the future, we must adopt some of the plans that were outlined by Blaine in his day and were emphasizeu by Mckinley in his last message. we must adopt a system of reciprocity by which we can increase trade. A tarin wall against the labor of Europe and its 1 competition may be necessary, but the i same wall that protected us upon that l side is our ruin upon the other, and we must cultivate the West Indies, the South American states and the islands of the Pacific by reciprocal arrangements and relations which promote our com merce.
 Should Have Strong Tie.
 ''We should then bind these countries to us by ties stronger than any legislation. They would be our friends, our partners 1 in business. With the experience we have had in the southern states with negro suffrage, are you willing to undertake the admission of Cuba and Porto Rico as states, containing, as they do, a large majority of colored people? Neither do care to maintain kindergarten in the Philippines for the education of eight mil lions of orientals. Rather, say, keep the 1 hands of foreign nations off, hold the commerce of these countries, furnish the transportation, furnish the ships, furnish the money and the banking facilities for their trade, and we will have commercial annexation without the danger of po- litical annexation
 Mr. Lowry spoke in favor of expansion in general, and paid particular attention to matters in the south, drawing bril- liant picture of the prospects and capa- bilities of the southern states.
 A number of the guests joined in the general discussion that followed the l speeches.