Evening journal., 1896-10-30
CONTEMPORARY OPINION.
ENGLAND AND GERMANY.

AAN0AAtA4ND AMI ArE1MANl.
The exchange of epithets between the
German and English newspapers is an
interesting feature of the remarkable
snarl into which European politics has
lately fallen. The Times began the
controversy, but the retort discourteous
came quickly from the reptile press, "
with the inevitable consequence that
all the minor English papers have
taken up the counter-check quarrel
some, and the air is murky with
abuse.
In Germany, as a well-informed cor
respondent writes, the newspapers can
be suppressed whenever their violence
becomes inconvenient to the foreign Of
fee. Their passions are as we'll regu-
lated as YOricks; they swing from an
apoplectic extreme of anger to a state
of depreciation and apology which the
English journalists have not learned.
The latter reflect English public Opin-
ion and are reelected by it in turn, and
whatever influence the foreign Office
has upon them is entirely by the way
For these reasons the repeated assaults
of German journalists upon England
are indicative of a temporary purpose
on the part of the German government,
while the savage tone of the London
newspapers betokens an animosity
deep-seated in the public mind, and
likely to produce in the end perma-
nent national anti-German policy.
This disposition has been growing in
England before the eyes Of the present
| generation. While Russia is Eng
/ lands traditional foe in colonial enter
prises, Germany is her most resource
| full competitor in the more perilous
/ field of industrial effort. Germany
protected manufactures have invaded
English markets at home and abroad
Made in Germany" is a word Of terror
for English artisans. The combina-
tion of governmental support and more
patient and scientific methods is a
desperate barrier for the once master
OF the crafts. The English manufac-
turer clings to the crude methods OF
ten. twenty, or thirty years ago. The
German maintains a staff of scientific
experts, whose sole business is to i'm
prove upon old inventions or make new
ones, to devise means for decreasing
the cost of manufacturing while en-.
hancing the merit Of the manufactures
We read of one German factory, IL
which an inventor has been at worl
for ten years, under pay, attempting
, to devise new formulas in the makini
of dyes. His success has been incOnsid
erable, but his employers judge tha
their money is we'll spent on th'
chance Tweeds and cotton goods
= which were once the pride of Englisl
mills. are now made cheaper and o
finer quality in German than in Eng
T. land. and are shipped under Engisl
S names to countries where an Englisl
S trademark is still regarded with re
p spect
Is it any wonder that a cry has gon
up in London for practical scientif
y education, and that a light brea-l
y will blow the embers of internationa
hatred into flame? Germany, on he
side, has some reason to dislike Eng
land The English royal family ha
T. notoriously snubbed the German EN-
/, peror; England's colonial undertaking
d have succeeded when neighboring Co
man colonies have failed; England
obvious desire to strengthen the oil
half-alliance with Italy at the expens
l. of the dreibund is a constant irritatio
It to the German foreign Office. But tn
N antagonism on the German side begin
70 with the government; in England it
based upon a well-justihed popula
hatred, which finds a vent even in tn
most conservative semi-governments
organs-Chicago Times-Herald.