Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-14

him the greatest amount Of the attention
which he devotes to foreign trade: yet our
sales to Europe do not average over s. per
capita annually.
while the American merchant has been
absorbed In the development of. domestic
industries and his energies have been di-
rected chiefly to minisrering to the remands
Of Internal trade; while every section Of
this country has been enjoying an unparal-
leled prosperity, owing to and dependent
almost wholly upon our own resources and
consumption, the nations Of Europe have
been making foreign commerce a study
little short Of scientific and have been, judi
ciously strengthening themselves in the in
terests of that trade. Their men are well
trained and experienced in dealing with
other people; their steamship service IL fully
adequate and effectively responsive at all
points to the demands made upon 1t; their
consular representatives are able and eff
cient and their banking facilities an invalu-
able auxiliary to their Industrial and COM
mercial interests concerned In securing
large share of the worlds trade. England.
France. Germany. Austria Hungary. Bel
gium. Italy and Spain have realised that
the commerce of country cannot be stud
led In short time, but that more or less
Is Indispensable to the establishment Of
profitable business relations with them.
They send out their young men to the cpun-
tries with which they will trade. there to
guage. form friendships, study the re-
sources and wants of the people that they
may satisfy them; and finally, they adjust
their scheme of credit and collection to the
conditions Of the country.
With South and Orient.
LET us consider our trade with the coun-
tries to the south Of us and with the orient.
We supply barely 10 per cent Of the esti-
mated importations of the Latin-American
countries, Europe furnishing the other 81
per cent, consisting almost entirely Of man.
IYfo or vryIi lilo Nf nonfQ
proportion Is foodstuffs. Surely our tariff
is not entirely at fault. But it is not intend
ed to open, but rather to close, the doors
to tariff discussions in this convention. AS
was stated in the call, the committee feels
that whatever means are adopted, in order
to be Immediately effective, must be based
on recognition of economic conditions as
they now exist In this country. All discus
sions should therefore, be germane to the
object in view, which is that of securing
prompt and practical results. This conven-
ton should inaugurate an organized and
effective effort to awaken the business men
,of the United States to a realization Of the
vital Importance to this country of care
fully fostering our foreign trade, because Of
Its great possibilities for an enlarged COM
mercial activity and a safeguard during
the years Of business depression at home.
Every organization represented in this body
should become a center from which to dis
sem1nate information on this subject.
Zone of the questions demanding our
most careful thought Is that of reciprocal
trade arrangements.
The appointment of committee Of we'll
trained, experienced business men to nego-
tiate treaties, which, while amply protecting
American industries, will grant us greater
privileges in other countries, would I'M
doubleday prove to be largely beneficial to
our people. With several Of our other south
ern neighbors we had arrangements some
years ago which also enhanced our trade
with them, The conditions for a renewal Of
reciprocal treaties are especially favorable
today in view of the very cordial relations
established by Secretary of State Root in
his recent visit to South America.
Great Britain in Lead.
with Great Britain in the lead all the
peoples of the old world have been steadily
fostering and increasing their commercial
relations abroad and strengthening their
defenses at home. The Tilted States claim
ing. and justly so. to be one Of the most
enlightened. enterprising and liberal ma
tons of the world, stands prominently for
ward as single exception which has al
lowed its shipyards to decay and its flag to
disappear from the seas. While these coun-
tries have acquired the carrying trade of the
world and have diverted the commerce of
the world to their own ports, to the mani
TEST advantage of their farmers and ner-
chants. we barely carry 10 $40 per cent of
our imports and exports in our own Ships
Almost 10 per cent of our foreign trade Is
carried IN foreign ships at an estimated
countries, that they may do work for
which no people is better fitted than our
own. The re-establishment of our former
supremacy as a maritime people is one of
the most important questions now demand
ing solution at the hands of American
craftsmanship. Let US, therefore impress
upon our representatives in Congress the
necessity of giving that consideration to the
subject which will restore our flag to its
place upon the seas and our nation to that
naval pre-eminence to which 1t is justly en-
titled.
THE great Importance to DIR FOREIGN
commerce Of an able and efficient consular
service cannot be overestimated and no
enort should be spared to insure its alb
solute divorce from the domain of politics
and It's elevation to that high plane to
which 1t properly belongs, that it might
comport with the dignity of our country
and with it's growing needs and greater op-
portunities: One other manifest advan-
tage which some Of the countries Of
Europe enjoy over us when dealing with
other peoples Is in their banks in foreign
countries. Those banks not only facil-
1tate transactions greatly, but are Of in
valuable assistance in making invest
ments, obtaining information, determining
credits and making collections. It is well
known that those banks yield rich returns
and our bankers and capitalists would do
question.
Why Called at This Time.
81 have been asked repeatedly: Why has
How can foreign commerce receive proper
attention when the manufacturers Of the
country find 1t difficult to meet the de-
mand for their products; when the output
of many factories and mills has been sold
months, aye. even a year ahead; when the
railroads are overwhelmed by the volume
of freight, requiring transportation? My
reply is, foreign commerce will be the
pressing question in the near future; it
will be question affecting the welfare Of
millions Of Americans. The reaping comes
long after the sowing, but we must SOW
if we would reap. Let us SOW now, that
the harvest may be ready when we shall
need it,
Temporary Organization Effected.
At the conclusion of the chairman's ad-
dress, temporary organization was eff
fected by the selection of Mr.. James W.
Van Cleve of st. Louis. president of the Ma
tional Association of Manufacturers, as
temporary chairman and of Frank 8. Gard
ner Of New York as temporary secretary.
Mr. Van Cleve appealed to the convention
not to permit itself to be stampeded on any
issue without mature elaboration and sug-
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