The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-25
CARNEGIE,s big CONTRACT.
Declarations that Australians Won't
| BE blocked hx ImnerinIiam.

ne DbOclAeO Oy
New York Letter in Philadelphia Press.
Perhaps the most amazing of all the spe-
cial and individual developments of Amer
lean trade recently made is one at which
Andrew Carnegie limited in a recent inter-
view with him in this city. Carnegie had
been inspired to say something In opposition
to the policy of expansion.
He spoke solely from the commercial point
OF view. His view is that expansion promises
10 be detr1ment to American manufactur-
ers and trade, possibly even TO demoralize
It, and yet the single illustration which he
used TO fortify his argument and which was
drawn from his personal experience would
seem, when 1t is fully explained, to refute
rather than to sustain his view.
Carnegie said that the manufacturing cor
poration with which his name is identified
had recently been called upon to consider Il
proposition involving a contract for the de-
steel plate.
He added that he had advised, in view of
the Philippine question. and the suggestion
of the open door and the doubt as to the
exact determination of our policy with re-
spect to the Philippines, that there be delay
in the acceptance of this contract
Nothing in the column or more of Came
gle's letter compared in Importance with
the statement that Australia should have
offered to the United States contract in
Volving the colossal export of 60 0G0 tons of
steel plate. This is of itself a circumstance
that every tinancier, every well-informed
member of Congress- even the administers
ton itself should know and should en-
deavOr to appreciate tho full significance of
it. The fact that Australia passed by her
mother country, hitherto the great mistress
of the worlds trade in steel plate, and
turned to the United States is of itself one
OF the finest illustrations of the recent COM
mercial changes which are swiftly taking
the United States 70 a position of suprem-
acy.
If it were wholly true. as might have
been inferred from Carnegic's statement,
that by reason of the doubt respecting the
determination of the Philippine question the
company of which he is the head had not
entered into this contract. then that fact
alone would furnish the administration food
for the most serious consideration.
A policy respecting the Philippines which
might pre- the execution Of contract
involving xport from the United states
TO Austra sixty thousand tols of steel
plate ano payment of several millions
of dollars Id theoretically involve the re-
fusal to ;vpt other great contracts.
The Australian representatives, however,
Will he greatly surprised If they read Carne-
glos statement They certainly regard their .
contracts as having been executed and they
are looking for an early shipment of the
first installment of this export.
They not only expect that within the next
twelve months or So these sixty thousand
tons will in accordance with the terms Of
the executed contract, have been sent to
Australia. but they are firmly of the opinion
that they will take advantage of the option
which they have so that they may increase
the order to eighty thousand tons.
In other words. Carnegie'S statement as it
stands is only half truth. The proposition
was received. was carefully considered. as
the Australian representatives. know, and
which our possible policy with respect TO the
Philippines necessarily created.
There Carnegie stops, but there the Aus
tralian representatives and. as they feel
assured, Carnegie's representatives, did not
stop, for the Australians have duly exc
cuted contract which they feel sure they
can compel the Carnegie Company to carry
out.
That being so, any apprehension that our
policy with respect to the Philippines might
be such as to affect the value or profit of a
contract of this nature must have been
wholly removed. The Australians are going
to get at least sixty thousand tons of Amer
lean steel plate, probably eighty thousand
tons, as soon as the plate can be prepared
and delivered.
This order aside from its enormity and
the vast amount Of money involved, is also
of the utmost Significance in indicating what
our trade relations with Australia and the
Orient now are and are to become. 1t IS
believed to be unprecedented, excepting pos
sibly by some government contracts in vol
ume and in money value. and, more than
it. it is only the beginning of trade which
we have wrested from Great Britain, taking
her own daughter away from her.