The herald., 1898-06-28
Our Future Position in Commerce

Alabama dictates the price of pig iron for
the world; American steel rail makers, in
competition with European makers. are
supplying rails to Australia, Russia. China
and other countries; Russia has awarded
contracts to our shipbuilders for warships
to cost over $4,000 900, and is negotiating
for others; our steel mills are shipping
thousands of tons of ship plates to leading
shipbuilding firms in Great Britain-these
are but a few of the more striking facts now
attracting worldwide attention, which in
dicate the mightest industrial revolution
of the century, says the Baltimore Manufac-
turers' Record. The sudden transition of
our country from its historic inactivity in
foreign affairs to what seems to be its des-
tiny as dominating power is not more
wonderful nor more far-reaching in its in
fuence than the part it is now equipped to
play in the worlds industry and commerce.
1t has been well said that that country
which can produce iron and steel at the
lowest cost will control and dominate the
commerce of the world, and it is now uni
versally admitted that we are producing
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 upon
these raw materials is already passing, if
1t has not fully passed, into American
hands. 1t is difficult to grasp the full mean
ing of this, and still more difficult to sober
ly portray its effect upon our own country
and upon its relation to other countries.
Great Britaihs supremacy in the worlds S
affairs, its great financial power and it's vast
shipping interests are largely due to its
iron, steel and coal interests. Upon them
1t has built its commercial empire, the
greatest that has ever been known. Its
ability to produce iron and steel a less cost
than any other country gave to Great Brit
ain the power to develop it's shipbulding
and ShinOWninQ interests and n ba
demands of every country for machinery
and other manufactured goods. Without
its coal and iron it would have been impos-
sible for that country ever to have attained
its present pre-eminent position in COM
merce and finance. And now the scepter of
its power has departed, for it no longer pro-
duces the cheapest coal and no longer con-
trolls the iron and steel business We are
making nearly double as much iron and
steel as Great Britain, and making it at
price that defies competition We are not
only turning out the raw product, but with
astonishing rapidty we are pushing our
steel rails, our locomotives, our wood and
Woodworking machinery into all coun-
tries, and we are preparing to duplicate in
shipbuilding our phenomenal record in
other branches OF metalurgical develop
ment.
Ten years ago prediction that before the
close of this century we would be furnishing
pig iron and steel rails to almost every civ
ilized country, and that our shpyards would
be turning out the best warshps ever con-
structed, with heavy orders from foreign
governments, would have been deemed too
wild to be worthy of denial But we have
accomplished all this, and are preparing to
reap the rewards. With Asia and Africa
being opened up to advancing civilization,
to the building Of railroads. the develop
ment of Industrial interests, the utilization
Of modern improvements in agriculture;
with Cuba and the Philippine islands is fer
tile fields for trade expansion. for railroad,
manufacturing and agricultural develop
ment; with the building Of the Nicaraguan
canal practically assured we can see that
the world is being made ready for an ad-
vance in civilization and in trade greater
than ever before known In the history of
the human race. With all these new forces
coming into play at time when we are
fully able and ready to enter in and secure
1 large share of the work and the wealth to
be created. with the ending forever OF all
Bectional lines and the coming of an era of
! better popular understanding of the true
relationship between capital and labor and