The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-03-22

from Brazil, for instance, more than 40 per cent of all she has to sell and sell her in turn only 10 per cent of all she has to buy. The marvel is that being com pelled to send our goods there in foreign ships and gener llly first to Europe and thence to ports of destination we are not so far discHminated against as to make 1t impossible to export anything to South American countries. Of course we can always buy of South America. Foreign ships will be ever willing to bring us inl- ports. American exports are what they discriminate against
 We buy of South American countries one hundred and ten millions per annum and sell the same countries thirty-tive millions per annum. In ten years the balance of trade against us has been seven hundred and thirty millions. We buy of Brazil seventy-five millions per annum and sell her thirteen millions. We buy of the West Indies seventy-eght mill Hons per annum and we sell them twenty nine millions, an annual balance against us, in those islands, alone, of practically fifty millions.
 No Particular Subsidy.
 T am not advocating any particular ship subsidy measure and If had a vote it would be against any bill that did not
  governmental aid, the establishment of regular steamship communication with South American or South African coun- tries. adjacent islands, or the countries washed by the Pacific Ocean.
 We export in round numbers billion and half per annum and We send two thirds of this to Europe. Twenty per cent of the people of the world will not always consume 60 per cent of our sur plus products. We must seek new mar kets. Let no one suppose that simply opening our parts to the free importa- ton of foreign merchandise will ensure a corresponding increase in the foreign de- mand for our surplus. Our experience in the West Indies and in South American countries is a complete demonstration of the fallacy of such a theory. In thirty years we have bought of South America two thousand five hundred milions-more than S5 per cent of which has been ad- mitted free of duty-and in return have | sold the same countries less than nine hundred millions. The balance against us in this period has been over a billion | and a half.
 The foreign importer is about the same character of man as the American 1 importer. He buys where he can buy | to the best advantage and without re- I SdTu 10 Ine pdldllCe or lTdut between ms l country and the one in which he buys. We grow in the United States three | fourths of the cotton of the world. We l convert one-fourth of the cotton of the | world upon American spindles We ex- port of manufactured cotton, in round numbers, thirty millions of dollars worth | per annnum and import of manufactured cotton forty millions of dollars worth per annum.
 Assuming as much fibre In the forty millions imported as in the thirty mil lions exported. the American people con sume-actually wear out-one-fourth of the cotton fibre of the world.
 Some Astonishing Figures.
 ''I doubt that We appreciate the aston ishing fact that per cent of the people of the world connsumc 25 per cent of the cotton fibre of the world. The reason for 1t Is the marvellous prosperity of the American people. We have ceased tc darn or mend and often burn to save laundry bills.
 'Nor is this the only astonishing fea- ture of the cotton industry The world exports of manufactured cotton six hun dred and twenty-five million dollars per anBum of which the United States gets aalx per gent. In other words the