The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-08-14
FROM OTHER PENS
MENACE 10 UNITED STATES.

While the United States would prob
ably assume the right of voice In
any African question that would grave
ly affect the welfare of Liberia, the
within the European sphere of In
fluence, and is hence subject to the
overlordship of the powers of Europe.
But this country has more than an
academic interest in the German occU-
patton of the port of Agadir. Germany
is believed to have a longing eye upon
the undeveloped regions of Central and
South America, and to be hiding her
! time when she can, either alone or in
conjunction with other commercial
powers, defy the Monroe Doctrine by
acquiring territory, either by seizure or
by purchase in Spanish or Portuguese
America. Agadir would afford her a
valuable naval base for operations
against South America, and it would be
| a menace to Porto Rico and the Pan
anna canal. While this country would
probably not feel justified in entering
actively into the discussion of the
Moroccan question, its sympathies, for
! these selfish reasons, if for no other
must be with France and Great Britain
| in the present controversy.-Prov
Journal.
| AID TO WOULD-BE FARMERS.
The back-tO-the-farm movement de-
serves every encouragement, but the
encouragement should be practical.
The city man who tries to farm and
fails through lack of preparation and
/ knowledge becomes living warning
to scores of others. The idea of the
promoters of the land conference is an
excellent one. It is simply the first aid
idea in a new form.
The merchant, clerk, mechanic law
yer or journalist who signs for pastures
green and new should be taken by the
hand, warned against sharks, advised
not to invest his little capital in hur-
ry and furnished with honest, care
fully edited literature regarding vari-
Gus soils, opportunities, markets, pos
sibilities, prices.
We talk about aiding new tmmi-
grants to settle on land and make new
homes for themselves. The city man
who decides to return to nature has
more to lose than the immigrant, and
| IN case of disaster is more helpless.
He needs guidance, instruction, help
not only before but after his plunge
Chicago Record-Herald. +,
BIG FOREIGN TRADE.
1t is one of the peculiar commentaries
on the complaints of duh business that
have been rife for a year or more that
the foreign trade statistics for the fiscal
year ending on June 80 broke the rec
ORD Tor the aggregate of exports and
imports and for the total of exports.
For the first time the aggregate of
- eAAC bONA- w e- = CACGGAC1 TtscUoN4oYD'fSs
Also for the first time the total exports
passed the s., 100000 Gl0 line. The ex-
cess of exports over imports was SELL
100000, only exceeded by the excess of
1908. This favorable balance is, Of
course. an apparent one. being sub
ject to deductions in various ways.
which some claim OF entirely neutraliz-
| ing the apparent excess. This, we be-
/ lieve, overestimates the magnitude of
the seeret or incorporated items. The
United States WAS larger gamer of
foreign credit during the year when
this balance was accommodating. and is
now regarded in financial circles as
able to draw gold from Europe when
ever its needs demand. This fact. to-
gether with some domestic fndicae,
show that the pessimistie views con-
corning business are Ill founded.--Pitts-
burg Dispatch.