New-York tribune., 1899-12-08
4UEPJr4N COMPETITION.

Inc building or tne AtDdrI BTluSe IIOiH
American material, fashioned to the last rivet
in home works. and the export Of American
locomotives to Great Britain and Russia are
recent and impressive signs Of the presence of
the United States as potent factor in the in
dustrial markets Of the earth. At the touch
of sudden war there fell the bounds which in
territory ,ircumscribed us, and the Nation
passed In few brief weeks from a continental
to a world Power; but the winning of leading
place in the ceaseless If silent rivalry of world
industries for world markets has been the slow
work of years, although none the less in this
long lasting struggle than in the stirring scenes
of battle there have shone forth the dominant
characteristics Of the Nation.
To Great Britain, for so long the chief indus
trial producer for many lands, these striking in
cidents of American competition came like bolt
from the blue, although the portents Of coming
change had long been visible in the rising tide Of
our exports as whole, in the phenomenal ship
ments of our electrical machinery, and in the
bitter opposition of the British mechanic TO
the Introduction of American labor saving
tools. This steady advance, however, disturbed
but little the complacency OF a manufacturing
nation, calm In the consciousness OF immense
native resources both in material and labor of
lTdlHluR throughout many RtHeGdIlOHS III luuuS-
trial methods OF a supremacy in foreign COM
merce assured by the steadfast adherence of
centuries to policy which Ralegh's brilliant
and prophetic words had mapped: Whose
commands the sea commands the trade, and
"whOso commands the trade of the world COM
"mands the riches Of the world and consequently
"the world itself"
To contest with the United States for It's
Asia or South America was one thing, however;
but to be beaten ignominiousy in trade rivalry
on ones own territory Is quite another. There
| fore our British cousins. in commercial con-
ventlons and in the public press, have been dis
cussing with earnestness and sometimes with
heat and bitterness the causes which have
made possible the unwelcome competition Of
America In this somewhat belated search for
| knowledge they have called our own experts
to their aid, and there is presented IN another
column Of The Tribune to-day a striking array
of reasons for American superiority In indus
| trial processes, az advanced by n distinguished
American engineer In answer to the question Of
a leading British journal. The causes as
signed seem as a rule self-explanatory. For
example, low priced labor, working by the
clock" with drowsy ale and the narcotic pipe
|
and profit with work to the finish, overtime If
need be, IN an environment which spurs ambi-
ton and on q system of "piece work" which
rewards skill and industry proportionately for
| their superiority. Again. the duplicate in
| terchangeable system Of construction has been
| developed more fully In the United States than
abroad with resultant gains, not only in the
uniform quality Of the product. but in the
capacity OF the machine which produces II. in
the wages Of the operator and in the detailed
knowledge Of the cost Of every step The key
note Of British sluggshness In a rushing In
dustrlal age Is touched. however when there
is pointed out the tenacity OF purpose which be-
comes stubbornness when msapplled the
respect for usage and convention which degen-
crates into unwise conservatism; and that re-
| gard for experience" sometimes archaic which
! often covers n multitude Of sins that n little
modern experimentation would reveal. British
| officers I'm South Africa have fallen in scores
less for their flag than for the tradition that
they must dsdan cover even when exposure IL
| vain. SO British Industries. when observed
from the point OF view Of American energy.
| system. invention and iconocasm, seem i'm some
respects to be held in mortmaln. grppcd by the
dead hand Of the forebears
That British manufacturers will for long re-
main thus hampered by the methods and Gus
toms OF the past IS not conceivable. Surely
II slowly as Americans may view it-their mills
and fOrges will meet modern ideals Mean
while the race IS to the swift; and as Nation
we cannot but rejoice In the widening reach
of the Industries Of the United States. That
our future warfare with Great Britain shall be
wholly In the domain OF trade Is the wish OF
both peoples, whose thought may be. perhaps
best expressed by the Arabs saying "My
brother and quarrel, but 1t is we two against
"the world" for all ends at least which tend to
the enlightenment and uplifting OF mankind.