The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-08-20

| Ottawa have told their Government that
$1O0OO.OeO was lost last year through the
congestion of trafIsc. They see golden
| future when FIVE hundred million bushels
of wheat will be produced in the North
land. The two Canadian roads now op-
Grating, the Canadian Pacific and the Ca
madam Northern, cannot take this grain
out to the world as is the demand. The
roads of the United States must come to
the rescue. NJ. Tarte asks the Dominion
Parliament to restrain any Canadian road
from matchmaking with any road in the
United States. Mr.. Sifton replied with
you cannot force 1O0,0OO,0O0 bushels of
by a clause in an act of Parliament" The
Grand Trunk is planned to turn dsad-
vantage into advantage.
|
There were some significant changes in
exports to various countries in the last
fiscal year, as compared with previous
years. In spite of the hostility of agra
rians, manufacturers and the Government
to American wares, our sales to Germany
recovered from the setback of the pre-
vious year and broke the record reaching
$193. $685. 500, against $191. 900 in the
| fiscal year 1901. In 1899 the record was
only 1855, 772,OOO. But it is our exports
to British possessions that show the most
rapid and steady growth. In 1893 British
North America took only $S4, $4,000 of
our goods; in 1902 the amount had risen
to Sill. 70S,OO0 and last year it was $685.,
$780, 600 To Australia in 1898 we sold
only S15,G1O,OOO of goods: in 1901, $780,
$4,000, and last year $50, 74S,OOO. To
British Africa in 1898 we sold only S12,
OPT 600 of our goods: in 1902, $2S, 700, 900,
and last year $33, 7SS,OO0.
Another country in which our markets
have been expanding rapidly is Mexico,
which took 1907 600 of our wares in
1898, and $40 .227 600 in 1903. The South
American trade has been less satisfactory,
advancing from $33, S21 600 to only SAL
$4,000 last year, though it reached $44,-
100000 in 1901.
1t is interesting and instructive to note
that the commerce of the United States
with its nOn-contiguous territories and de-
tendencies for the last fiscal year reached
the sum of $100,OOO,OOO-a very consider
able trade. and one which few years ago
was practically non-existent. Though at
present We receive more from these pos
sessions than they buy from us, yet they
their purchasing power improves they are
increasing their purchases to keep pace
with it. The year before the Spanish war,
1897, we sold to Porto Rico goods to the
amount of less than $2,OOO,OOO; in II
months of the last fiscal year she bought
more than $11. 100000 worth Of our goods.
In 1887 Hawaii bought Of us goods to the
value of $4,69OOO0: in IL months of the
last fiscal year she bought $10,000,000. In
1897 we sold to the Philippines goods to
the value of so, 900, and in II months of
the last fiscal year those islands bought
goods Of US to the value of more than
S3.500.OOO. So, also, the formerly insg-
nihcant trade with Alaska has reached
large proportions, and even little Tutuila
and Guam went shopping with us to the
extent of 100000, or more than the Phil |
ippines paid us before annexation. This
trade is as yet only in its beginning. An
portions which will make it compare ia |
vorably with the entire foreign trade of
all except the great commercial nations
Consular reports show that the Mis- !
souri, mule has distanced all competitors |
as the war horse Of the current era in most |
European armies.
One Of the phenomena of the passing |
hour at the Capital is the Fourth Assist |
ant Postmaster-General. Mr.. Payne col |
lapsed under the strain of investigation,
the President departed for the Summer |
White House, and named Holmes Conrad |
and Charles Bonaparte to undertake the |
law part in the crusade, but Mr.. Bristow's |
stopped shoulders have not weakened I'M
der the weight of postal frauds, and he is
still holding the headsman's basket and
smiling as his victims meet their fate.
Threats of political annihilation if he con-
tinued to probe into the rottenness have
not deferred Mr.. Bristow, and whisper
ings that a Senatorship might reward re-
taxation of energy have not coaxed him
away from the weak spots in the Depart
ment which promise to yield additional
scandals. Mr.. Bristow is a born investi-
gator. He is of temperament admirably
adapted to the work with which the Ad-
ministration has seen fit to load him down.
He never gets excited. If all the Chiefs
in the Department were indicted in one
day Mr.. Bristow would wear no broader
smile than always marks his face.
The District Grand Jury has become ex-
pert in its free delivery indictment SER
vice.
'The one man of this Administration"
said a former Cabinet officer the other
evening, who is the least in evidence be-
fore the country at the present time is
quietly and silently making more Amer
lean history of a character to reflect honor
of his associates in the Government COM
bined. That man is John Hay. When
ever the negotiations lie is now conducting
and the correspondence he is carrying on,
not with one European power, but with
three or four of the very greatest of them,
become known to the world, the truth of
what l say will be clear to ALL"
The Washington Society for the Pre-
vention Of Cruelty to Bears and Bulls
should direct its attention to the office of
The Post newspaper, which cruelty re-
marks that there is not enough water
left on Wall Street to float a cork"
A financial panic is among the posi-
bilities of the Presidential year, and it
goes without saying that the effect of one
on the Republican side of the campaign
might be disastrous. So convinced are the
leaders Of the party on this point that they
will take no risk, and are determined to
provide, as far as possible. for any emer-
gency that may arise. This is the real
feeling behind the movement for currency
legislation. If crisis should come the
Treasury will be fully prepared and en-
powered to meet it.
Somebody in the War Department Or
dered the 14th Cavalry to the Philippine
Islands. The officers disposed of their
horses in some way or other, shipped their
baggage to San Francisco or Manila, and
in some cases went to San Francisco n |