THE CONFEDERATION OF THE THREE AMERICAS.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 14 September 1901, Page 4

THE CONFEDERATION OF THE THREE AMERICAS.

A Great Scheme

Australians as a rule probably hardly noticed a cablegram recently received announcing that a Pan-American Congresui is to bo held in Mexico. Yet the nerro has peculiar interest for us just as our infant Commonwealth is cutting its teeth. Whatever the ostensible object of this, the second assembly of the kind, may be, the real object of those who are promoting it is that of the astute Yankee politician, the late Mr James Blaine, namely, to gather the seventeen Latin-American States — And Ultimately Canada. and the Guianas —into a pustoms Union with the United States, which, in the end, must mean Confederation. That is, to persuade them to renounce a market of over 400 millions of consumers in Europe for one of 78 millions of producers in the United States.

“America for the Americans ; the inauguration of a reign of peace and concord on a continent from which the corrupting influence of Europe and her manufactures shall be excluded; the substitution of arbitration for war; the breaking down of all trade barriers, and the establishment of a common tariff, etc., etc., so that America may present one united front to the world —and so on. This was the

Great and Seducing Programme presented to the first conference eleven years ago, and, in essence, that which will be laid before the forthcoming one. Boiled down it means that Uncle Sara wants to collar ihe entire Spanish, American and-Brazilian market for his own wares, he intends to buy next to nothing in it. It is somewhat as if a country manufacturer called his farming neighbours together and said : Why should you go on foolishly spending money outside the district ? Let us unite together in a bond to buy nothing except locally. You don’t manufacture yourselves, but I make everything you can possibly require, from a si’k hat to a pair of scissors. It is true that, us I have Hocks of -rny own, I can take very little out of your wool, and as to maize and wheat, beef, butter, eggs, and garden stuff, I produce really far more than my workmen and myself require. You will, therefore, no doubt find it necessary to despatch what you grow to the big town for Sale, but beware of buying a ha’porth of anything there. That would be treason to our great and glorious district. To prevent misconceptions, I may also say that if you want a loan of a few pounds it will be better to arrange for it in the city, as it is a rule of mine never to lend money in my own neighbourhood.”

How The Proposal Was Originally Met. Blaine’s idea was really sublime in its colossal audacity, But the Spanish - American statesmen are no fools.' As a leading Brazilian journal remarked ; “As long as the United States refuses to buy what we have to sell, we shall buy where we sell.” The Petty Central American States, which are near neighbours, may promise anything for a quiet life, but Chili Argentina, and Brazil cherish each of them its own ambition to become tire U.S.A. of the South, and to accept the position of a permament satellite of the Great Sun in the North is the last thing they intend to do, let the charmer charm never so wisely. There is jealousy, too and far of the Big Brother, who if he dares anyone else to whop his smaller relative, is not above bullying them himself.

A Pan-Latin-Ameriean League is one of the possibilities of the future.