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Show IAI'TER THE OANAL, WIIAT7 After ilic Pauania caual, what? Tliis is the greatest achievement of America's Ameri-ca's youth. Tn iiaeK it is necessarily but a first step to mastery of tho world's commerce. Well niay wo ask ourselves whether wo shall be prepared to tako full advantage of tho canal when it is opened. Wo know, for example, that the bulk of trade through tho Panama canal will bo carried by foreigu ships. At first glance shipping would appear to be tho chief essential in preparedness, and yet we must be content to seo only a small portion of our goods and tho goods of . the world transported in vessels flying I tho American flag. In reality, howovor, the United States will reap a commor-t commor-t cial benefit from ever ship that gooB ;-. through the canal. Setting aside, thereforo, tho question of shipping and turning our attention to the development of commerco, we shall find a most attractive field for apeculation in the things that the American Amer-ican people must do if tlioy aro to keep in the van of world progress. The iin-i portant triumphs of tho future will not be as spectacular as tho Panama canal achievement. "Whilo marvelous development devel-opment awaits us, tho richest gains will come from organization, thoroughness and tho elimination of waste.. Hitherto we have been eager to porform tho big feats and to astonish the world with American daring nnd energy. Hereafter wo must meet the competition competi-tion of tho older nations by following their esamplo. Germany is a small nation with but a tithe of our resources, and yet in' tho last twonty-iivo years she has made such progress ihat she has become one of tho world's foremost sea powers, ami her trade in all quarters of tho globe rivals tho trade of England, of Prance and of tho United States, lutqusive organization is perhaps tho best phrase to describe tho German system. German- is the most frugal of tho great nations and the United States the most wasteful. In every department of agriculture agri-culture and commerco German thrift has been able to compete on equal terms with America's limitless resources. re-sources. It has boon a case of tho miser competing with tho prodigal , x; f pricce- Tho American has ..not boon H accustomed; to look wit'- high regard HH on miserly methods, but in the future II we must manage our nation andjts rc- I sources scientifically. Starting with a tremendous advantage advan-tage in resources, in the efficiency and intolligcnco of our labor and tho abundance abund-ance of our capital, we should dominate the world's commerce. But this result an be accomplished only if we. add to our strength by such' virtues as careful care-ful systom, frugality and conservation. The most valuable suggestion that comes from our most ardent conservationists conserva-tionists is tho proposal to eliminate , waste in the development of natural II resources. Those of us who favor the HH rapid development of our riches are HH sometimes accused of seeking to squan- dor them,' and the chargo ia'not with-out with-out foundation. In whatever field the American, operates, ho dissipates his H heritage; he spends with a. lavish hand and forgets that the day of reckoning must come, The development of the future, there-fore, there-fore, will be by means of intensive organization, within our own borders. We must develop our inland waterways; HH wo must make needed changes in our HH transportation lines to touch areas hitherto neglected; we must reduce the cost of production by supplying tho H best facilities and the bost machinery . HHj Xo matter bow healthy a man may bo, HB he cannot become a giant in strength H unless ho develops all his muscles and Bl keeps them fit. We have gloried in H our national youth and health and en ergy, but now wo must be preparod to develop our commercial muscles. Just as exercise brings out in beautiful array muclos that tho possessor dooa not know exist, so intonslve organization in tho United States will produco hithorto unsuspoctod sources of commercial com-mercial power. |
