Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-21
OUR TRADE IN EUROPE
Steps Being Taken to Oppose Its Exten-
sion.
Regarded rs 1.-THE Growing Danger
Beyond the Seas"-RepOrt of
Consul General Mason.

From a report made to the Secretary of
State by Consul General F. H. Mason at
Frankfort is appears that the powers of
Europe. especially Germany and England
are taking radical measures to prevent the
threatened extension Of American COM
merce on the continent not only in the case
of manufactured goods, but in the case
also of agricultural products. American
competition in Europe has been termed by
an eminent German authority as 1.-The
growing danger beyond the sea-"
1.-The year now growing to a close will be
remembered" says Consul General Mason,
las an epoch in the Industrial and COM
mercial relations between the leading Eu-
ropean countries and the United States.
The remarkable fact Of 1897 has been the
enforced recognition of the truth that in
several important lines of manufacture
notably that of iron and steel-the scepter
of economical production. combined with
payment of the highest wages to labor, has
passed from the old world to the new.
For years. European economists have
struggled against the conclusions which
practical men are now forced to accept It
has been argued that. through what they
regarded false fiscal policy, and the eX-
aggerated wages accorded to labor, high
cost of living and lack of general technical
education, American manufactures, in
which labor formed an important percen-
in the worlds markets with the low wages.
frugal living and patient twelve-hour toll
of the old world, where, in many places,
communities have been trained for genera
tons In specialized forms of industry.
but 1t has been demonstrated that, I'M
der intelligent, progressive management
highly paid labor, especially when employ
ed to use complicated machinery. is. after
all. the cheapest. and that in the race for
supremacy, the inert, congested populations
or the old world have been in many cases
left behind by the people who, more than
any other, have reduced economy of labor
to an exact science.
Hitherto European manufacturers have
found 1t comparatively easy to persuade
themselves that, but for the American
tariff, which could be only a temporary
permanently to its function Of growing
food and raw materials for European OPP
eratives and manufacturers who would
supply the world, our own country includ-
ed, with manufactured products. But 1t is
now seen that it is something besides tariff
that has made the cost of producing Bes-
semer pig iron los. to lbs. (S2. AZ to 1861
per ton less in the United States than Great
Britain, has enabled the steel makers Of
pennsylvania to underbid those of Eng
land for the rails and other supplies of the
London underground railway, and to place
an order for 5000 tons of steel rails with
the British East Indian government.
Neither has any trick of fiscal legislation
enabled the machinists of Philadelphia
Fittsburg and Chicago to sell locomotives
mining and electrical machinery, street
railway outfits, bridges and architectural
iron under the noses of British, German
and Belgian agents in South America, Aus
tralia and the Cape Of Good Hope.
Invasion of the Bicycle.
Three years ago German manufacturers
honestly believed that. but for the import
duty, they and their English rivals could
monopolize the American market for BIZ
cycles and sewing machines. Since then
the American-made bicycle has invaded
successfully every important European
market, and not only in quality, but in
price, has made the competition In Ger
many SO keen that the local makers now
demand the imposition of a special high
duty on American wheels as essential to
their future existence. The steel-bridge
builders of Belgium and Great Britain have
been surprised to find themselves underbid
for the construction of an important bridge
in Holland by a company in Philadelphia,
and the leading makers of electrical ma
chinery In the United States have set
standard of cheapness, prompt delivery.
ehlciency and economy of service, especial
ly In electrical railway plants, with which
their European rivals find it difficult to
compete.
ut is but natural that, these facts once
recognized, the utmost use should be made
of them In these older countries as argu-
mentS in favor of concessions and privll-
eyes which have hitherto been generally
withheld. Throughout the prolonged strike
of machinists in England, the most effec-
tive plea of the employers has been that
without the concessions that they demand
from their employees, future competition
with American engineers will be impossible
and the supremacy of Great Britain in that
field irretrievably lost. In Vienna the i'm
perial minister of foreign affairs has called
upon all Europe to combine against what
he calls the crushing competition of trans
atlantic nations At Berlin, council of
specialists has been recently in session to
consider international tariff relations, with
special reference to Great Britain and the
United States. German economists point to
the 100000 tons of freight which pass
annually through the single lock at the
Sault Ste. Marie canal as argument in
favor of the further improvement and ex-
tension Of German waterways, and to the
Gnexampled economy and efficiency of
American railway freights as an appeal
against the inert, exorbitant rates of the
state railroads in Germany.
Freight Rates Reduced.
''It is not improbable that these appeals