Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-11
TO PROMOTE TRADE
Pan American Commercial
Conference Next Week.
DISCUSSBUSINESS CHANCES
Delegates From South America to
Awaken u. S. Merchants.
WHAT OTHER COUNTRIES DO
Germany, England and France Max
ing Preparations to Use the
Panama Canal.
WHAT OTHER COUNTRIES DO
by WILLIAM E CIRTIS

Herald
Next week. from Monday the 18th to
saturday the 18th. an attempt will be
made to excite interest in the extension
OIL our commerce with Latin America. 1t
VIII be a sort of revival like those that
are held in the churches now and then.
when the spiritual condition Of the con-
gregation is al low tide. The object Is
general awakening of the merchants and
manufacturers OF the United States to
the responsibilities and the opportunities
that exist for better commercial re.a-
tons. particularly those which will come
with the opening of the Panama canal
four years hence. for the year 1915 has
been fixed by Col. Goethals as the year
oceans that Christopher Columbus de-
clarcd must exist and for which that
poor old man sought In vain.
One Of the most pathetic pictures in all
history is the Admiral Of the Ocean
Seas" the accidental discovefer Of new
world, lying in his hammock on the deck
Of his caraval propped up with pillows,
for his infrmities had become 80 great
that he could not sit erect, cruising up
and down the coast Of Central America.
exploring every creek and bay in search
OF q water passage between the two
oceans so that he might reach India by
shorter route than the circumnaviga-
ton Of the African continent. That 18TH
mus is a strange freak OF nature, sort
Of practical joke to puzzle and perpiex
mankind with only forty-seven miles OF
land between the two great oooles OF ~
water, which it will cost $3Vo.ooo'OoV' u
not s4OO, OOO. 600 to overcome
It is an extraordinary fact that half
a dozen European nations are ALREADY
making preparations to secure the com,
20 4nOfQoO
them at our expense when the canal Is
opened, and the United States, Wnlch Is
digging the channel and paying the ex-
pense. is making no preparations al all.
Our Congress is even refusing 10 pro-
vide for mail communications, and the
representatives Of Illinois and other
western states which should derive the
greatest advantage are opposing the
proposition with their voices and their
votes, simply because they are afraid OF
the word subsidy and fear that their
constituents may not re-eiect them IT
they appropriate money for the benefit
of the general public measures In which
they have no direct interest. But II they
were to study the invoices of goods that
are shipped and trace them to their
origin they would discover that 70 or 80
per cent Of all the merchandise we ex-
port to the LatinAmerican countries
comes from the Mississippi valley and
that they are injuring their constituents
instead OF benefiting them by their OBJ
stinancy.
Germans Get Our Trade.
from Central America to Hamburg. and
are. stealing the trade that belongs to
us. They are building new ships to put
on that route as soon as the Panama
canal is opened-ships OF double and
treble the tonnage o: those now in use
because they realize the possibilities of
the situation and know that their trade
will increase when the United States
digs canal for their benefit.
The British Steam Navigation Company
Is doing the same thing. 1t realizes the
nal is going to offer. Strange to say.
that great company. which has one OF the
largest fleets Of any, was founded by an
Americana Mr.. Wheelwright Of Boston.
grandfather Of Mrs. James Bryce. wife
Of the British ambassador to the United
States. He tried to induce American cap
italists to build ships for the South
American trade, but they declined to do
so. and he took his project over to Eng
land. where he got all the support he
trade between Great Britain and the
South American ports, which will become
the more important when 1t IL no longer
necessary to pay the expense OF steam
ing all the way down and up both coasts
of Patagonia through the Straits Of Ma
Eeilan. a distance Of more than 2,0U
miles.
NO one interest will be directly bene-
fted So much by the opening OF the canal
as the Pacific Steam Navigation Com
pany. 1t Will save at least ons-third OF
the amount OF its coal bills for one item.
and the voyages of its' steamers will be
shortened 30 per cent for another. And.
as have said. that company is building
larger and faster ships in order to make
quicker passage and carry larger car
goes from Valparaiso, Callao and other
ports on the west coast OF South America
through our canal.
|, And the United States is doing nothing
to obtain more or even to keep its email
share of the trade.
Something Should Be Done.