Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-07-20

The New world Outfootiug the ola In
All Lines 81 Busineus.
Baltimore American.


America. not against the world. but
America for the world. What a great up
lift this western continent has given, dur
ing less than 40 years Of developing exist
ence TO the worlds progress. And how
potentially this new continent has aided to
increase the worlds aggregate ~ wealth.
Anericans-the people Of the United states
In particular-are accused by Europeans Of
possessing a very animated sense OF thcir
own largeness and Importance. Surely,
Americans have some justification IN taking
view OF themselves that insists upon n
high comparative rating. They have the
facts and the figures to demonstrate that,
though their estimate Of themselves may
be OF large proportions, Il Is not out OF
proportion.
A monograph. Just issued by the United
States Department OF Commerce and Labor
through its bureau OF statistics. Is entitled
Commercial America In 1905" and under
takes to discuss, with something like ana
lytical minutia, the commerce OF the two
Americas. The commerce Of the entire
western continent for 1905 exceeds. in round
numbers, S,oSo0OoOOO in the total value OF
the products exchanged. without going
into the minutia OF percentages OF exports
from the different countries of this western
heAlllHlHtTNs from NdnHQa 10 At
gentina, IL Is interesting to reflect what this
vast aggregate OF trafic signifies to the
activities and general welfare Of the whole
haoltable globe. In the short space OF four
centuries this new world has come to in
spire more than one-third Of the worlds
commercial enterprise. The monster ships
that are built for world trafic are put into
use to do business with America The two
great oceans, the Atlantic and the Pacific
1t seems, were made chiefly that Europe
and Asia might come to America to buy
and to sell. Look over the ocean route
schedules from any port in Europe and Il
Will be seen that the fine, big ships arc
all listed to sail to a shore 5000 miles west
ward. The Americas-the habitable por-
tons-consttute less than one-fourth the
habitable globe, and hsbitable America,
North and South, is less than one-ffth de-
veloped. But, though comparatively small
and relatively pndeveloped. there is no room
left for doubt that the Americas have been
stepping lively during the last four CEN
turtles.
When the aggregate business OF the west
ern hemisphere is divided up and appor-
toned It is, of course, found that the larger
percentage Of the whole pertains to the
United States. In at least one commercial
aspect the United states lie able to show
figures balancing the whole outside world.
barring none. The latest statistics indi-
cate that in steam railroad mileage this
country has almost exactly half of the
mileage upon the globe. The $4,000 miles
OF steam railroad in the United States are
| barely equaled when all the mileage OF
Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and South
America are massed in opposition. This
idea. however, OF presenting the trafic OF
the Americas as a collective summary is a
good one. 1t embodies a suggestion OF con
tinental unity, and this thought of a com
mon destiny, Of uniformity Of aim ana
purpose, is growing one, on this side OF
the great waters at least. The Americas.
small as they are comparatively in measur-
ing the earth's land surface, are pushing
to point of civilization and progress
where they will stand for more than half
OF the worlds wealth and potential en-
ergy.