The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1897-05-15
A CONDITION THAT cosFRosrs
Our country Relations to England
Set Forth by German Economist.

Bryanite and populist who makes
the assertion this time, nor for
eign anarchist or communist 1t is
DR.. Karl Peters, who aspires only to
be historian. He does not criti-
else, he only records what appear to
him facts, and he is a great admirer
of the British Empire. He believes
| that the Anglo Saxon is destined to
rule the universe, and has been
roundly rated by his German coun-
trymen for saying so. As a histor-
ian he feels bonnd to acknowledge
that the Briton gathers his tribute
with as much brutality as ever did
the the Roman or the Persian; but
he is firmly convinced that the
march of the Anglo Saxon can not
be retarded, because our great Re
public is fastened To the Lion by
golden chains.
/ The following summary is chap.
ter of Or. Peters Rise of the Brit.
ish Empire" ON which he is now
working. The Znknnft, Berlin, has
been favored by the author with the
fright to publish some parts OF the
work, and our summary is taken
from our Berlin contemporary;
| In the schools we are Taught that
England is an industrial state; In
reality she is changing into purely
capitalist country. The time is APP
preaching when Glasgow and Man
chester will be unable to compete
with foreign rivals, but the capital
heaped together in the city Of Lon
don will control all foreign industry,
monopolizing all private property.
Already India, America, Australia,
and South Africa are forced to send
their produce at cheap rates to Eng
land, in part payment Of dividends
and interest. British Imperialism
is not founded upon canons; it rests
upon money only, and ancient Rome
never exploited her provinces in a
more relentless manner than Great
Britain her possessions or any coun-
try subject to the influence of her
capital
Among the countries thus ruled
| by England is in the first place the
United States. India pays in Lon
don twenty million pounds sterling
| ($l00,000,000 The tribute Of Aus
tralia and South Africa is about
$75, 100000 The United States,
however, alone pays $250,000,00 (tif-
| ty million pounds sterling) in di-
vidends annually at the lowest COM
putation. French statistics make
it $500, 1000. To know this means
to understand that the stars and
Stripes, this boosted banner of free
dom and independence floats in re-
atty over an immense dependency
of Great Britain. This, too, ex-
! plains why the warlike spirit of the
Americans was cooled down with
such ease when London chose to ma
nipulate the markets to the detri-
ment of America during the Vene-
zulean trouble. The depots of an
cient times were wont to demand a
tribute of precious metals, grain,
cattle and other produce from the
people they had conquered. The
Pharoah's did it, the rulers of Per
STA and Rome did. 1t is interesting
to note that England does exactly
the same thing. The business is
managed in capitalistic form, but
the tribute is sent in the shape of
| produce America supplies England,
to large extent free of charge, with
silver, cotton, beef and grain, from
the money received for this produce
the $250,000,000 remains in Eng
land to pay shareholders who have
done nothing for it. That this state
of things must affect prices in other
countries is clear For if one people
receive annually a large amount of
goods for which they need not re
turn an equivalent, the people who
pay the tribute must be so much
the poorer.
We will be told that British CAPT
tai in the first place created the
wealth of the new States, and that,
therefore, the inhabitants of these
States are not penny worse off.
This, is, however, fallacious argu-
ment. If England, for instance,
builds railroad in America, the ac-
tual work done by an Englishman is
paid for Immediately in the shape
of wages or salaries. The expenses
thus incurred are booked against the
public, who have to pay so much
more per mile travelled. The divi-
dends shored in London are the sur
plus, the tribute which the world,
especially America, pays to Great
Britain. And this tribute for which
absolutely no return is made, is col
lected with as much punctuality as
ever Persian king of king exhibit
ed in collecting his.
! That America could ever be freed
from this tribute in normal man
ner must be regarded as impossible.
For this could only be accomplished
if the Americans were able gradual
| ly to purchase their bonds This
they cannot do unless they save up
the necessary capital Now, as they
already have to pay $250,000,000 an
nually of their surplus earnings, ii
does not seem likely they can save,
As matter of fact their debts in
crease. The farmers in the United
States rarely see cash, and Their
property is deeply mortgaged. Hence
the enormous number Of unemploy
ed in Chicago and in the East;
hence, too, the immigration from
i America, which was in 1898 greater
than the immigration. Americas
enconomical troubles are caused by
bondage, and if we look closer, we
will discover England's capitalistie
monopoly is at the bottom Of 'hard
times" the world over. The only
possible way out of the difficulty
would-be force. TheAmerican govern
ment would have to take bold step,
it would have to confiscate property
held by foreigners. But as in the
case. of joint stock companies, it
would be difficult to separate the
native from the foreign shareholder
and the only remedy is therefore
state socialism OF communism. l dc
not believe that the majority Of
Americans will be inclined to oh.
tain their freedom from the foreign
er at the cost of their individual lib
erty.
4 More or less self government has