The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1899-11-04
AMERICAN INTERESTS IN
SOUTH AFRICA.

Now that the attention of the civil
lied world is directed to the southern
part Of Africa and the war being waged
there, it will interest our readers to
know to what extent America is per
sonally interested. Within the last few
years American commercial interests
have assumed such great proportions
in Southern Africa that other nations
are not only astounded but fears are
entertained that the future, not so far
distant, viii see the United States a
controlling spirit in the young repub-
lies commercial affairs. American en-
ergy and enterprise, combined with an
ability to undersell all other foreign
firms represented in that country, have
enormously increased our export trade
in South Africa. So successful has
been the efforts of American merchants
to work the South African markets
that the value Of exports TO that coun-
try has several times been more than
doubled IN { year.
Not more than five years ago Amer
ica's share in South African business
Il was practically nil; today we hold sec
ond place in the list of nations trading
with that country, Great Britain hav-
ing precedence owing to the supremacy
of her flag over the greater part of
South Africa British merchants are
keenly alive to this condition of aft
fairs, and have made Efforts to check
and keep down this tireless commercial
energy, which threatens to transfer the
trade supremacy from their hands to
ours.
American firms are constantly send |
ing out agents to various parts of that
country, soliciting orders, competing |
in every possible way with other for
eign firms, and in nearly all cases
successfully. Heavy licenses are re
quired of American commercial trav-
elers. The tax in the Transvaal and
Natal being less than the Orange Free
State and Cape Colony-in the former
amounting to $4S.66, and in the latter
20 $l21.66. For tour through ain the
states, the American agent is taxed
about $3.50 in license fees. These con-
ditions are brought about by the laws
of the country, which are generally
unfavorable TO foreign commercial
travellers
This however, is no drawback to our ]
"hustling' countlTmen. One is sur
prised 10 find American machinery EN-
Dloyed in almost every one of the hun
dreds of gold mines on the Rand. This '
is chosen because Of its great SUPER
iority over that Of all other countries.
Even the electric lights Illuminating '
the mines bear trademarks and name {
plates Of New York, Philadelphia and
Chicago firms.
The great Kimberley diamond mines
are operated exclusively by American '
it being not only less cost
~ but greatly superior to the appar-
atus Of other countries in its results.
These machines are, as a rule. institut
cd and, in many cases, run by Ameri- !.
can worlanen. There are street cleo /,
trical railways in Cape Town. Port !.
Elizabeth and Pretoria bearing marks :
Of American manufacture on rails. =
wires and cars. These facts appear a
more marvellous when one realizes that e
less than fifty years ago this part Of :
the country was under the dominion :,
Of savages. One Of the first railroads :
n South Africa, leading from the :
rranevaal border to Lourenzo Marques. :
was built by an American, Mr.. Muir =
lock, and American materials have :.
been largely employed in the construc- =
ion of other roads.
Recently American firms secured the -
for 10000 tons of steel rails :,
or the Cape Colony railway system =
Agricultural implements also find :,
arge sale in South Africa, ours being =
more acceptable to the soil and :,
'heaper- In The farming lands the n,
rave4er NAV find plows,- hoes. forks. -
s-'As' SPACES ana reapers bearing the in
imprint: Made in the United States" NJ