The Tucson citizen., 1902-08-14

| itself with those interests which are OF
paramount Importance. II is not as
| tonishing. therefore, that in an age in
which the whole world is. looking for
business opportunities-an age in
which few nations, by reason of their
outstripping their rivals statesmen
! should find the study of economics
more profitable than intrigues over
world politics. The nations whose in
dustrial and commercial development
has been slow and inadequate are now
ICoufronted with problems which press
| for immediate solution. Upon the So
luton Of these problems the very eX-
Iistence of some nations depends. IN
Iternational alliances and world politics
are Of little importance compared with
! the question of preserving national
| industries and trade. The Giplomatists
I of Europe must devise means by which
/ the industrial decline Of the Old World
may be arrested They must origin
ate measures by which their peoples
may retain fair share Of the worlds
trade. Unless they can do this their
countries are doomed and sooner or la
ter must take their places among the
| dead or dying nations. Is European
diplomacy capable Of rehahiltating the
| industry and commerce of the Old
/ World? II it is. what measures VIII
he necessary to accomplish the result?
/ 1t may be assumed that there Is no
sentiment in business. that trade is
merciless. The prosperous nations
apparently have no compassion for
those who are in Strengthened circnm-
stances. For several months efforts
were made in this country to secure
a reduction of the tariff on articles
imported into the United States from
Cuba. Here Is a little island almost
at our doors much nearer to the cap
ital and to the chief commercial cities
Of this country than Is Arizona. to
which Americans have given indepen-
dence. and in which 1t might be
/ thought the people Of the United
States feel genuine interest. Presi-
dent Roosevelt made fervent appeals
to Congress to give the Cubans a
chance to sell their sugar to American
consumers without loss to the pro-
duceTs, but Americans engaged in the
sugar trade. and who have succeeded
in monopolizlng the industry were
powerful enough 10 prevent the Pres-
dents party from responding to his
appeal. The President based his ap-
peal on considerations Of national
honor. on sound economic principles
and on American friendship for the
little nation which American valor
had created. The Cuban govern
ment pleads for relief and asserts that
the island will be ruined II it's request
for reciprocity In trade is denied. But
the Republicans to whom Mr. Roose
welt has appealed are unmoved In a
general way. perhaps. they are friendly
to Cuba. but their friendship is thing
wholly apart from business. Trade is
ptiless.
What are the European statesmen to
infer from the American attitude
toward Cuba? They see the greatest
commercial and industrial natic1 in
the world prospering, despite its policy
Of trade exclusyeness. VIII they con-
clude that American prosperity is the
result Of this exclusiyeuees, and not Of
our vastly superior resources ana
equipment? VIII they seek to revive
their own trade and industry by adopt
| ing American tariff methods? The
! United States now sells its surplus
products to foreign consumers 10 the
extent of nearly $500 600, 0U0 a year.
Will Europe eventually appropriate
our home market" idea. and Insist
on Europeans spending their money as
far as possible with their own manu-
facturers and producers? How would
American farmers and captains of In
dustry like the kind of economic diplo-
macy that would lay a 100 per cent
tariff on American made goods? If
We put tariff OF from 50 to 200 per
Icent on European goods. We should not
complain If Europe should erect a like
barrier against our products. Our
protective tariff statesmen. of course.
would prefer for the European diplo-
mats to ignore trade matters entirely
and devote their attention to inter
national alliances and high politics
But the most important subject OF
world politics today is commercial and
industrial expansion. Europe mus,
consider that subject as argressively
and persstently as the United States
IS considering it, Europeans must
hold their own in the Old World and
share the foreign field with Americans.
Shall they act on the agSumntiOn that