The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-06-10
AMERICAS COAL AND IRON
May Enable Her 10 Control and Dom
mate the Commerce Of the World.


BALTIMORE. MD. June Especial
Comemnting upon the outlook for our
country controlling the commerce OF the
world. Mr. Richard II. Edmonds. editor
of the Manfacturere' Record. says.
Alabama dictates the price OF pig
iron for the world; American steel-rail
makers. f. competition with European
makers. are supplying rails % Australia,
Russia China and other countries, Rus
sia has awarded contracts TO our ship
builders for warshps 10 cost over $l5-
10000. and Is negotiating for others;
our steel mills are Shipping thousands OF
tons Of ship plates TO leading shipbuild-
ing firms in Great Britain-these are but
a few of the more striking facts now at
tracing worldwide attention, which in
dictate the mightiest industrial revolution
Of the country The sudden transition
Of our country from its historic inactivity
I'm foreign affairs 10 what seems 10 be
its destiny as the dominating power IS
not more wonderful nor more far-reach-
ing in it's influence than the part it is
now equipped 10 play In the worlds IN
dustry and commerce.
ut has been well said that country
which can produce iron and steel at the
lowest cost will control and dominate
the commerce Of the world and II Is
now universally admitted that we are pro-
ducing iron and steel at less cost than any
other country. As we are debating the
price Of iron and steel throughout the
world, the control Of the vast industries
based on these raw materials is already
passing. If 1t has not fully passed into
American hands. II is difficult 10 grasp
the full meaning Of this, and II Is still
more difficult to soberly portray its eff
feet upon our own country and upon It's
relation TO other countries.
Great Britains supremacy In the
words affairs. its great financial power
and its vast shipping interests are
largely due 20 its iron, steel and coal
interests Upon them IL has built It's
commercial empire. the greatest that has
ever been known. It's ability 10 produce
iron and steel at less than any other
country, gave Great Britain the power TO
develop its ship-building and ship-own-
ing interests. and to supply the demands
Of every country for machinery ana
other manufactured goods. Without It's
coal and iron Il would have been impos-
siblo for that country ever TO have at
tanned it's present pre-emnent position
In finance and commerce. And now the
sceptre of is power has departed. for 1t
no longer produces the cheapest coal and
no longer controls the iron and steel
business. We are making nearly dounls
as much iron and steel as Great Britain,
and making II at price that dehes COM
petition We are not only turning out
the raw product. but with astonishing
rapidity we are pushing our steel rails
our locomotives, our wood and metal
working machinery into all countries,
and are preparing TO duplicate In ship
building our phenomenal record In other
branches OF metallurgical development.
Ten years ago a prediction that be-
fore the close OF this century We would
be furnishing pig iron and steel rails 10
almost every civilized country, and that
our shin yards would be turning out the
hest war ships ever constructed. with
heavy orders from foreign governments
would have been deemed too Wild 10 be
worthy Of denial But we have accom-
plighed all this. and preparing to reap
the rewards.
with Asia and Africa being opened mp
10 advancing civilization. TO the building
OF railroads, the development OF indus
trial interests the utilization OF modern
improvements I'm agriculture; with Cuba
and the Philippine Islands as fertile fields
FOR trade expansion for railroad, manu-
featuring and agricultural development;
with the building OF the Nicauraguan
canal practically assured, we can see
thtt the Noiiu - U'i"b maui it"Ny -
an advance in civilization and In trade
greater than ever before known in the
history of the human race. With ali OF
these new forces coming into play at
time when we are fully able and ready TO
enter in and secure largo share OF the
work and the wealth to be created, with
sectionalisn forever ended, with the
coming % an era o. q better, popular un-
Outstanding OF the true relations between
capital and labor and with the gradual
disappearance OF visionary hnancialisms,
he would be a bold man who would at
tempt to predict the wonderful progress