The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1909-10-23
lA/TEL CARAVAN LOADED WITH
COTTON GOODS ENROUTE ron TIBET

requires no salesman or advertising to make raw cot
on popular in all industrial centers from Manchester
Milan. and eastward TO Japan. II We did not have
a plank anoat we could sell raw cotton to the world
America II not n serious competitor for trade oversee.
In all the annals Of national pride and delusion there
has been no greater folly than the present popular be
lief In the United States that we have engineered a
commercial invasion abroad. The trading nations must
have our cotton and while upward OF 100 tarin walls
fence them on in their rivalry they all fear America
and carefully put raw cotton on the free list.
There has been n notable increase in the bulk OF
our foreign commerce. but we have merely kept pace
with the whole worlds advance. In fact II Is the prog.
ress In purchasing power OF foreign nations that has
made possible our heavy exports Of raw materials. We
have been Boosting OF outborne cargoes that enriched
our rivals far more than they did America. When we
cite the mere totals OF our foreign trade without exam.
lining the nature Of that traffic we blind ourselves to
the magnificent field awaiting American enterprise
abroad.
The rivalry for foreign markets. the improvements
In the facilities for reaching them and cotton's marvel.
Gus contribution to merchandise have so revolutionized
the worlds trade that the commerce of former cen.
turtles Is insignificant In comparison. The foreign traf.
nc OF any OF the leading industrial nations today ex.
ceeds In volume and value the total foreign trade OF all
countries combined n hundred years ago! The annual
external trade OF even so diminutive a country as the
Netherlands exceeds the billion.dolar mark. And this
astounding increase In the trade OF nations. creating vr.
tually a new earth, Is due In large measure TO the vol.
ume Of cotton manufacture and the worldwide sale Of
cotton goods. We fail to keep in mird that In that
world trafhc America does not share. We have been
Boosting OF mere bulk-boasting while we have been
sending to Industrial Europe the raw supply without
which II could not compete with Amsrica for a year.
Gladstone estimated that the wealth accumulated by
the nations during the first so years Of the nineteenth
century oqualed all that had been stored up by mankind
In the preceding 1900 years. and that their multiplying
fortunes between 1850 and 1870 duplicated the record
OF the foregoing atty. SO that In those 20 years the In.
crease Of the worlds wealth exceeded by 100 per cent.
the pIledup treasures OF all lands In all the preceding
centuries since the birth OF Christ And the accumula.
tions since 1870 are literally beyond compute.
Such a world with Its consuming power Is the market
that confronts America, the country that alone possesses
the COmmOdit Indispensable 10 the nations. Thus fnr
we have neglected our stewardship. During the last
fiscal year we sold TO the old world only q little over
1000, 900 worth OF finished cotton goods. Our best Gus
toner In that part OF the world was the United King
dom, which bought from US 81. s53.ss4 worth. But while
we were growing foollshly proud over that, England was
selling us 323.l 65. 392 worth Of cotton goods spun Of our
material. The itemized columns. placed side by side. are
a reproach to resourceful America. Here Ia the record.
preserved by our bureau OF statistics: