The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-04-20
M. E. ingalls, Prefers Com
mercial Annexation to Po-
litical Annexation
PLEADS FOR RECIPROCITY
Bankers Club of Chicago Is Ear.
nest in Approval of Railroad
Leaders Ideas as Pre-
scented at a banquet.

CHICAGO, April 19-The necessity OF
commercial expansion was the dominant
| theme at the banquet of the Bankers
club, which was held tonight at the Audi
forum hotel The chief speakers of the
evening We're 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 Mr.. ingalls,. and MS
| views found earnest support among his
hearers.
Mr. Lowry spoke of expansion in gen
eral and paid particular attention to mat
tiers in the South, drawing a brilliant pic
ture of the prospects and capabilities of
the Southern states. A number of the
guests Joined in the general discussion
that followed the speeches. Mr.. Ingalls,
said in part:
Both parties in this country have noti-
fed the world that they will uphold the
Monroe doctrine; that is, that no foreign
power shall be allowed to acquire terri
tory on the American continent; and we
are prepared to maintain this. While for
eign countries have accepted this political
and arbitrary notice they have been in
sidously and actively engaged in cultivat-
ing and commercially annexing the West
India islands and the South American
their manufacturers and their bankers,
by lending money, by promoting enter
prises and by long credits; and the time
may come when we shall stand here, ST.
lently and alone, as the defender of a
great doctrine, but with no fruits to fol-
low. We have not as yet evolved methods
by which we can secure the trade Of cur
American neighborS.
Subsidies Not Fest Use for Money.
The very first thing to do is to promote
commerce and trade with the West india
| islands and the South American states is
to build up system of transportatio and
communication between our country and
these several ports and cities; trade al
ways follows facility and cheapness of
| communications. If our country today,
| instead of spending millions of dollars on
subsidies which are to be used to compete
| with the fast ships on the North Atlantic,
and with the profitleSs trade of Europe
would allow the postmaster general to
spend whatever sum was necessary IN
carrying the mails, at least once a week.
between the United States and the prin-
cipal ports of the West India islands and
| the South American states, we should
soon find our commerce increasing and
! bankers establishing agencies for furnish
| ing exchange and credit
You cannot bring about a change Of con-
| ditions by saying we are the greatest peo-
pie on earth, that we have more railroads,
that we have the biggest trusts and we
! are the people. Those things do not count
when you get down into South America
among the Latin races. You have got to
show them that it is easier and cheaper
! to visit the United States than England
! that their freight can be shipped with
greater dispatch and at cheaper rates,
/ and above all, you must show them that
-
machinery for US in it, to furnish them
long credits upon good security and at a
I good rate of interest. Too long, it seems
4 to me, we have neglected our communi-
cations with these countries which belong
to us.
Instead of gaining we have lost, and
| now at this time when we are proudly
! taking a new departure we must take
some effective means to enlarge our pusi-
ness.
If we would make this nation as rich and
powerful as it ought to be, if we would
| bring money and prosperity to ourselves
! and to the future, we must adopt some
of the plans that were outlined by Blaine
in his day, were emphasized by Mckinley
in bis last message; we must adopt a
system of reciprocity by which we can
! increase trade.
tariff wall against the labor of Europe
and its competition may be necessary. 1t
| certainly is considered so by a large num-
| Der of our people, but the same wall that
| protects us upon that 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 recipro-
| cal arrangements and relations which pro-
| mote our commerce. We must admit their
| products free, in consideration of their
purchasing from US, and if this is done,
| we have not ships enough upon the ocean
| to carry the commerce between those
countries and our own, and there is not
| money enough in the banks to furnish the
| credit and exchange.
| We should then bind these countries to
| us by ties stronger than any legislation.
They would be our friends, our partners
| in business; and confess can see moth
| ing but trouble in any other partnership.