The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1914-08-13
WHATEVER HAPPENS THE UNI
TED STATES WILL PROSPER.

With craftsmanship at Washing
ton, sound Judgment by financial ana
industrial leaders, and calm conh-
dence among the people, Europe >
war. instead of damaging the United
States, will stimulate industry and
turn depression into prosperity, the
gates of opportunity will open wide
to American commerce and enter
prise.
WAYS will be found to carry our
surplus wheat, corn, cotton, lumber,
metals and fruits to the markets
across the Atlantic. And after that
means will be devised to take our
surplus manufactures into markets
previously supplied by Great Britain,
France, Germany, Russia and Aus
tria. By the stress of war the enor-
NOUS foreign trade of warning coun-
tries will be greatly reduced If not
practically annihilated. The vacuum
thus resulting must be filled, and we
need only ships to fill it. These are
sure to come, in some measure if not
Immediately in the full tonnage that
will be wanted.
But even if one takes the most dis
couraging and improbable view of
the situation that is conceivable;
even though it should transpire that
every ship that is now transporting
our imports and exports should be
withdrawn from the service and it
became impossible for the United
States to export or import-eyen then
an extraordinary condition would be
presented that should lead to the
strengthening of our commercial and
financial independence.
If, from lack of ships, we may not
export, then from lack of ships we
can not import. These two pages OF
the ledger nearly balance. Returns
of the foreign commerce of the Uni
ted States, as reported by the bureau
of domestic and foreign commerce fol-
the year ended June 80, 1914, show
exports of $2,364,625,555, and i'm.
ports of s1,S94,169,1O0. For the
year the balance was in our favor
but for the last four months of the
year we just about broke even" or
imports and exports.
This means that If we can not gel
European gold in exchange for oul
exports Europe can not take Ameri.
can gold in exchange for imports
We have an abundant gold stock and
will keep it.
If the ships do not carry foreign
commerce the United States will save
the freight, and that alone viii
amount yearly to 100000, 900 OIL
more. If the war goes on American
tourists must stay at home, and that
will make another saving of $780,,
100000 or $4O0, 100000 year.
If financial connections remain
broken between Europe and the Uni
ted States and the worlds great ex
changes stay closed, European hold
ers of American bonds and stocks
will have no means of throwing them
on the market here, and that will
stop another crevasse.
The fact should be considered, too
that the foreign commerce of the
United States is but tithe of its do
mestic commerce. In round numbers
our foreign trade amounts to $4,000
100000 a year. Manufacturing alone
as shown by the census of 1910, a.
mounts to more than $4,000, ,000,-
900.
Men and women who know the
greatness of their country, its vast
and varied wealth, its lavish stores
of natural resources and that genius
of it's people for quick and profitable
adjustment to changing conditions
view the situation with equanimity
and faith. The nation has only tc
keep cool and level head to reap In
a large way the advantages that are
rightly its for preserving peace when
other world powers have plunged in.
to gigantic war.-Spokesman- Re.
view.