THE UNITED STATES, I. UNTIL 1900 291 
here is little to be discerned in the period here under review. 
he fluctuations and abrupt reversals in political and economic 
nfluences led to currents in the security movements which could 
onform to no general analysis. They were part of a confused 
eries of events, in which it would seem impossible to disentangle 
he effects of any one of the forces which “normally” act on 
international trade. :