Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1915-01-17
A New Year Opportunity TO Restore
National PrOSDeIity

| Inc tOtdl Ndlue OF tne dSTlCultuTdl,
manufacturing, mineral and forestry
products of this country exceeds S40,-
! 900, 100000 a year. or recent years
we have exported about five to six
per cent of this, or from $1,000
| 100000 to S2,400, 200, 900 annually.
Thus less than one-siXteenth of the
total value of our products has gone
abroad.
While this $40, 900, 600, 900 of value
represents the output of the country,
| IL does not of course, begin to rep
resent the volume of trade. These
| products are sold and resold, giving
employment and profit to millions of
| people. They are transported back
and forth, furnishing freight to the
railroads and employment to other
millions. They are the basis of all
our business life. But even In their
primary state the output is 100000
100000, while we have exported only
| five to six per cent of It.
We are now exporting, partly by
reason of the heavy demand in Eu-
rope for war munitions, probably
quite as much as during years Of
peace. Indeed, 1t is quite possible
that the total exports of the coming
year. Notwithstanding the decline In
the price of cotton and the smaller
exports Of that staple. will equal the
highest exports we have ever had, and
possibly run far ahead. 1t is true that
this is due to war conditions. Never
theless, the goods have to be made
and sold and shipped, and the money
comes back to US, or the agricultural
products have to be raised and ex-
ported, and they, with the exception
of cotton, are being sold at high
price. What is there, therefore, in
the European situation to have any
ouch effect on our business inter-
ests as to bring about present de-
preston? We are selling as much to
Europe as In other years, and II we
are not importing as much, 1t merely
leaves a larger market at home for
our own manufactured products. SO
far as our foreign trade, therefore, Is
concerned, there is no foundation
whatever for inactivity in trade, ex-
cept as to cotton, and this will be
offset In the total volume by other
exports.
We have just as many people as we
ever had, and their number is in
creasing at the rate of about $780,
900 q year, making more mouths to
feed and more bodies to be clothed
The war has not In any way less
ened our natural resources. 1t has
I,our iron, our water-powers, nor any
of the other vast resources which
give us an unmatched combination
as compared with any other equal
area in the world.
Europe is not buying heavily of our
securities but, on the other hand, we
are keeping at home the several hun
dred million dollars that our tourists
have annually spent abroad, more
than offsetting the decline in Eu-
ropes annual investment In our
bonds and stocks.
What, therefore, Is the matter with
us?
We know that the tariff has had a
depressing effect on many lines of
industry. We know that it has prac-
tically destroyed some. But even an
adverse tariff, bad as II is, Is not
full explanation for the timldity and
fear and lack of business prevailing
throughout the country. We ought
to repeal the present destructive tar
lff-destructive OF national income as
well as destructive Of business. But
look still farther.
We know that for the last ten years
there has been relentless war upon
business, big and little. We know
that the railroads have been very
Fnearly throttled to death by adverse
legislation, state and national. The
country has gone on the theory that
men would continue to invest bill
lions OF money in the building of
railroads even though they might
have no voice in the management of
these roads or in the fixing of the
rates for passenger and freight busi-
ness. II is difficult to imagine any,
thing much more absurd than this
theory. One OF its dire results Is seen
in the figures published last week
that In sixteen states the new rail-
road mileage was less than in any
year since 1880, when the country
had only one-half Of It's present pop
ulation and less than one-half the
average annual mileage built in any
year since 1850.
The very men who are decrying
railroads and constantly fighting
them could not be tempted to in
west their money in railroad securi-
ties under such conditions. But the
Interstate commerce commission in
Its recent decision has given some in