The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-01-30
BRITISH AND GERMAN RIVALRY


Dispatches from London and Berlin tell
OF mutual enmity between the people of
the two countries In recent issues OF
the Astorian we read the headline John
Bull Hates the Germans" over a cable
gram from London, while turning 10 an
other page the letter Of Berlin corre-
spondent bears the caption, Hate for
John Bull" Mutual anlmosity such as
this must have more than sentimental
reason for its existence. 1t is difficult
10 believe that the Transvsal incident
can be the sole cause. A deeper griev
ance in the hearts Of each must be found.
Money. well called the god of every
nation, Is the real root Of this trouble, as
the love Of II Is OF all evil. In the in
creasing trade rivalry OF the two nations
We find the reason for their hatred.
Great Britain's chief competitors in trade
are the United States and Germany.
For our part We have not inflicted as
grievous blow on England. We have
lost her only our own markets. our de-
velopment having been directed chiefly TO
the supplying of our own needs and the
increasing Of our internal resources. This
may bode future competition. but at pres
ent it is not enough to provoke other
than friendly antagonism. such as exists
between two merchants in the same city.
With Germany the case is different. Long
ago. in spite Of the drains upon her re-
sources for the maintenance of her i'm
mense standing army, Germany not only
produced sufficient for her own wants,
but when they were satisfied began to
supply those Of other peoples. For long
time Great Britain had held monopoly
Of this business, and. not unnaturally,
she has grown jealous at the Teuton's
interference: while Germany, annoyed at
the universal presence Of the flag oil Eng
land. looked upon 1t as the only obstacle
between her and success.
This development of Gerpany's export
trade, which has escaped the attention of
many Americans, has been sufficient to
check that of Great Britain. The yearly
exports Of German products now amount
to over $750.OOO.1OO. 1t is true that our
exports are greater. but with US the ex-
ports are chiefly raw material needed by
Great Britain. while with those of Ger
many a far larger proportion consists Of
manufactures. In every way the Ger
man government has encouraged this ex-
tension Of her trade. Bounties and spe-
ciaI subsidies have been granted to
steamship lines. until now a very large
percentage of the Atlantic carrying trade
sails under the German flag.
No greater monument in honor Of per-
severance and attention to details can be
found than Germany's success. Lacking
the dashing speculative nature Of the
American or the Briton, 1t is by these
other characteristics and by these alone
that Germany has won its place. While
the two Anglo-Saxon countries try to
force Anglo-Saxon wares on the for
eigner, the German caters to his preju-
dices. and by hard work, In spite Of the
obstacles of poorly paid labor and scanty
food the epithet German" which once
deprecated an article. is fast becoming
a guarantee of merit.
One example viii show the way in
which Germans cultivate their markets.
Whenever their foreign agents find arti-
cles Of English manufacture are desired
by their customers they send samples
home and soon offer similar goods for
sale at lower prices. Nothing is too
small to escape their attention. II must
be said that they are not oyerscrupuIous
in this respect. and British manufacturers