New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-31
&YLOCK OUYDOEE.

John Hook, who went bawling through the
camp Mt Valley Forge demanding of a starving
army compensation for his beef has long been
the type Of the anspirtcd contractor who
looked only on his country rs n consumer Of
his produce and was patriotic solely IN proper
ton 10 the promptness of his pay. His name
has been one Of contempt In the mouth OF the
orator. and freedom from his merccnary dis
position the boast OF Americans who have
dreamed that a nation Of free men could be
depended upon TO make sacrifices for home and
kindred not to he expected from those who were
forced contributors to some rulers cause which
they cared not for. And yet there have been
worse men than John Hook and more unpatri-
Otto. True he drowned the groans Of the suf-
fering with selfish crying over his own petty
claims. He thought his beeves were Of more
value than human lives. But he didn't cheat
anybody His beeves were slaughtered. and he
was entitled to his money His offence was
merely the selnshness of n man whose soul had
never had glimpse OF anything but trade and
Its profits.
John Hook and Shylock have been unjustly
treated. The meanest man is not he who de-
mands what is nominated in the bond, but he
who seeks TO cheat his country by "cornerlng"
have said many hard things about the specu-
lator, but they never said anything half so Sc
we're as what some spectators have by their
actions been saying about themselves In the
present crisis. Nothing in all the history of the
Civil War. with its gigantic swlndles in army
contracts. Is more dsgraceful to American deal
ers in war materials than the facts reported
from London by the military attaches Of the
United States that European firms are disposed
to deal fairly with us and not raise prices but
that our Government has been bed by the
rapacity Of its own money making citizens"
Their efforts to prepare this country for de-
fence IN case Of the threatening war by pur-
chase abroad Of munitions which cannot speed
fly enough be manufactured here have been
absolutely banked by "the agents OF Amer-
can firms and spectators" who have secured
options on all the available stock with n view
to compelling the Government to pay an out
rageously exorbitant price for what It needs.
Who are these spectators and firms who are
seeking TO make the United States choose be-
tween paying them tribute or leaving It's coasts
inadequately defended? Let us know the
American owners OF options on foreign goods
who, when they saw our Naval attaches seek
ing guns and vessels, sneaked ahead and at the
fair price which honest foreigners asked Sc
cured the materials and now threaten the Gov
eminent with the hghwayman's greeting
"Your money or your life.' The Krupps or
the Armstrong; we might expect to take some
advantage of an extra demand for their wares
but they have not tried to squeeze us. 1t has
been left 10 shameless Americans not to raise
the price at home on the goods they had, as
n regular stroke Of trading but actually TO go
abroad and make extraordinary efforts TO de-
feat the plans OF their own country In a time
Of trial In sharp contrast To their unpatriotic
attitude is the conduct Of a firm engaged in
Government work, which hns informed the au
thorites that It will carry out its contract with
extraordinary speed, laborlng night and day.