The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1908-07-16

JULY 16, 1908.
have taken nearly all of my statistical
information from the reports of this
gentleman and l refer you to the cur
rent edition of the World Almanac
for substantiation of this assertion.
The total population OF the United
States in the year of 1900 was a trifle
over 100000, while in 1904 it had
reached the total of 81, 100000, speak
ing In round numbers. There were
6.41 persons to every square mile in
1900, while in 1904 there were 272 per-
sons to every square mile, and this
surplus notwithstanding the enormous
increase in area. 1 find that those
100000 people in 1900 imported mer-
chandise to the extent of $4,000. 600
and exported only $7O,OOOOOO in mer-
chandise. In other words these people
paid out $21 100000 more than they
received. while dealing in this one
item. And we are told that inferior
shipping accommodation was the chief
cause. 1 find that in the year 1900.
when the internal commerce Of this
nation was of no practical consequence
and it's foreign commerce a will-u'.the-
wlsp, that we were blessed with ship
ping tonnage of 106, 6,261 tons and with
no railroads. find in these statistics
that after hundred years had elapsed
the United States had only trebled her
shipping tonnage, while she had built
$4,000 miles of railroads. Yes, 212,OOO
miles, distance that would reach from
the earth to the shadows of the moon.
Mark the words she had only trebled
shipping tonnage that in the first
place was practically useless, while she
had spanned her entire domain with
throbbing highways of life. The phe-
nomsas iRtsEasa aassEsJjSp%sas RhIdh
brought with it such an abundance
of products from our newborn mines
and farms and factories, as the world
had never seen before. But tell you
that our ships and our shipping cannot
be credited, for in proportion to our
national development they had dwin-
died. AS late as 185O.l78 per cent of
our imports and is sper cent of our
exports were carried in American bot
toms, while in 1904 only IA per cent Of
our imports aud 71a per cent of our
exports were carried in American bot
toms. ask you, where, in this dis
graceful fall from IS to per cent is
the glory of American shipping? /
ask you why American shipping
should decrease in the face of the
nations unparalleled growth, while
the shipping of foreigners. increased.
Perhaps there is happy reason.
These questions have been ably an
swered by competent authorities,
1 will repeat their views. And first
our domestic commerce, developed by
our home expansion aud perfection
has exacted our attention and pre-
cluded any attempt at extensive opera
tion in the worlds markets almost
down to the present day. We have in
no manner been dependent on foreign
commerce for existence. Our home
production and the home consumption
have wrought strength and might in
our midst. The disastrous effect of
early attempts at free trade estab-
lished the truth Of this statement.
We have lived at home and produced
our necessaries while other nations
have been compelled to travel the seas
for livelihood. But I ask you how
our domestic commerce could have
reached such empyrean heights with
out cheap and efficient transportation !?
say these railroads that we have and
know and should appreciate have been
the mlghtest factor in our salvation.
They have built nation out of q
wilderness in 80 years. They have
populated 100000 square miles of vir-
gin soil. They have studded our prai-
ries, our valleys and our ranges with
the hum of human life and the fruits
of industry and from every terminal
in this broad country they have drawn
nutriment, ornament and facilities and
have dispensed nutriment, ornament
and facilities. Yet this champion of
bilged tubs will tell you that their
service counts for nothing when COM