New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-19
r. GEORGE BRONSON REA.

| l.. II is and that VIC are getting it all.
| .Us are the greatest exporting nation on
.e face of the earth. Prosperity Is ours.
ID, here 70 stay. Throughout the country
t,,eicu trade committees are being or
.,oized TO push our interests abroad. Ma
s,osl commercial associations are meeting
congress and the public press teens
with reports Of speeches from authorities
mn international commerce.
And while we are talking and telling
.~-selyes an about II, patting each other
| a., tbe hack. pulling ourselves Up by the
| hoot.gtraps and soaring into the empyrean
ID, waves of supcrheated atmosphere, a
little message comes flashing over the
| .slmarinc wires that rest along the bot
om Of the Pacific; a message from our
f,lcw-countrymen in far-of China, call
re us back % earth.
Ont there on the firing line Of the great
world struggle for commercial expansion,
earring the bruut Of the battle for trade
ypremacy. advancing their country's in
forests step by step against the keenest
! and most unscrupulous competition the
| world has ever witnessed, blazing the way
| t- continued work and prosperity for
| those who remain al home, these pioneers
n America business army are crying
i- HELM. They labor under no delusions
..ort traditional friendships and the Cos
p,l of brotherly love- They are face 70
t.ss with ac-ualities. They are talking
20 ss They are telling US things. AS
~fei together in annual meeting at
Shanghai. The members Of the American
i,src Association report 20 the great
t,iv o. their fellow countrymen at home
that
"Whle our government sends com
msso1ers and special agents TO re-
rort or trade conditions for the pur-
nose Of stimulating our foreign trade,
;ss subject Of wOnderment that
obstacle still continue to hamper
American shipping. Instances can be
given where American merchants
| lave had 90 cancel contracts and 70
.cc their business taken out Of their
hands by competitors who could ship
on the steamships Of their country
which have been closed 70 others.
Notwithstanding the publicity that has
beer qiten TO this state Of affairs, II
roud appear that even more Is 1cant-
Cd 20 ar1ten the people at home TO
The folly Of seeking foreign trade
While Ignoring the requirements nee
ess1ry 70 make u s1ccessfM"
Do we understand the import Of this
message? Let me translate it. They are
t-ing Us about those great, vital, funda-
mental truths that have been ignored,
waved aside and concealed under mass
| Of official trade statistics and glowing
reports Of business opportunities abroad.
( They are telling US in the only language
ard words they dare employ in that field
q intense international jealousies and
Intrigue that IL is utter folly for the gov
srnnent % talk Of foreign trade expan-
son until il is prepared 20 maintain, by
I force Of arms II necessary, its rights
and privileges under the treaties.
They are telling US that it is criminal
hypocrisy on the part Of our government
% encourage Americans TO seek for trade
abroad unless the government is ready at
al times 70 live up 20 its duty and obliga-
IONS and guarantee protection 10 the lives
AID properties and defend the interests Of
10 citizens who arc doing their share Of
ns nations work in alien lands. Ihey
are telling us that they resent the policy
" an administration which proclaimed
through is Secretary Of the Navy that
ne government has other things to do
han look after those who could not earn
Ter salt in their own country"
They are telling US that American
Hsn's have been circumscribed in the ORR
~; that 5olemn treaties under which our
Nads haa prospered in the past have been
"a'erted into scraps Of paper; they are
N'iing u that their ships have been taken
away; that our fag has been swept from
As Pacific, leaving them % the mercy OF
~fnpetitors whose ayowed policy Is 70
s''e them from the East. They are tell
ng " our flag s. 70 be hauled down IN
1s Philippine, and. in complying with
~ party pledges, the islands are To be
.''iso oyer % Japan. They arc telling
= nat ne Dur n equal opportunity that
"a opened FOR us By a MAN while we
's'e s'il nation u men has beer
~'gei n and boltcd in oUr faces; that u
hponsible for them " do business with
= soyereign rate u China; that our
3 DNfae's With that government have been
'-a9lied and that the Chinese are skepti-
about our ability % stand By any ne"
"@Driant agreement. They are telling
nat their prestige has departed; their
~'apf has been fiched from them ~ aef-
s1'ng party politicians al home. The