The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-08-23
AMERICAS OPPORTUNITY.

The most important paper laid be-
fore the Trans Mississippi congress
during it's session at Seattle, and the.
one which reflects an issue and an in
terest truly national in scope, Was
prepared by Senator McComber. of
| North Dakota. The9congress directed
that it be printed for general distrfbu-
ton, and itEisgweH worthy of the dis
| tinction. AlISihe people of this coun-
try will do well to study the facts
! which he made his theme.
! q Considering the subject, Natural
/ Support of Trans-Pacific Commerce..
t Senator McCumber took note of the
fact which few are now SO superficial
as to ignore, that the battle Of the ma
tsef the Orient. There lie the markets
isthat can give US practically unlimited
/ opportunity for trade expansion. There
are the advantages which every pro-
gressive country in the world Is striv-
| ing to make sgTown. There is our
great opportunity; for we are so
| placed. with our frontage on the Pa
-cific, with our magnificent transporta-
| ton system, with our immense pro-
| ductive capacity, that we may be mas
| tiers of the situation If we will. But we
must decide, and that quickly. For if
| we do not win in the Orient others
will and generations will not suffice
for the recapture of a lost advantage
if we should let 1t slip when already
! within our grasp. H''1''s -.
- The key to the situation is the low
freight rate. The United States has
| the products to deliver. It has the
| wheat, the iron, the cotton, the ma
ehinery, all the commodities for which
/ the Orient is ready. 1t has the good
| will of the, peoples who are waiting
| there in hundreds of millions fer the
| coming Of the new regime whose spirit
has already broken their long sleep.
| Can We carry these products to them at
a cost which viii enable us to distance
the fierce competition of the rest of the
world, organized to wrest this great
prize from our hands? It is immense
ly the most momentous commercial
question ever presented to our people;
one that touches not only the repute
and glory of the nation, but the self
interest of every community and every
man within it from sea to sea. How
much has salready been done may be
'stated In the words of Senator Nc
! Cumber himself:
The one man who has done more than
any other IN the country in developing
/ the Northwestern afidsPaeific states-in
I so reducing the cost Of interstate trans
portation as to make commerce sprofita-
4 Die between the latter states and the
interior, and thereby developing and en-
larging both sectiens-is today giving the
problem of ocean freight rates on the
Pacific the benefit of his long years of
ing the cost of Pacific transportation down
| to. the lowest possible scale, he will soon
| freight steamship afoat
This laudable ambition on the part of
| great transportation companies to reduce
1 the present cost of trans-Pacific ship
| ments should be supplemented by every
1 proper effort ofFthe nation to develop our
| trade so as to furnish sufficient bulk of
4 merchandise to justify even lower freight
| charges. Let the government now do
! all In its power to assist our business
| men (and government influence is always
j most potent factor and our CONNER
cial supremacySis assured.
I The lines for this great battle for the
supremacy of the world are already
drawn. The agencies by which we may
win 1t are ready. In such preliminary
contests as have already occurred, over
the business .of#carrying men and sup
plies to the philippines, such rates
were ANNOUNCED as startled the COM
| mon carriers a the world and filed
the competitors of the northern trans
| continentaI#with amazement and de-
spair 1t Isl enough that Mr.. HILL. the
| ruling spirit Ofswl1at is no less than a
commercial reyDlutfon In favor of the
How freights RATE, has done the work
j by which Arnsrica may become SUI
preme in the Orient. The question is
whether ting pAople wish this mighty
possibility Che country to be i'm
paired or dastnayed.
1t is a question for every state. every
city. every man to consider quietly and