Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1899-03-17

ANAh% fsst N0AttHt 4tAto Wv 10
Apprehensive Of the Results Of the
spanish War Hopes for the Best aud
/ III We are Wise 1t May Result For
Good
New York Times of the 15th)
Col. Dudley Evans, whose ohserya-
tions on the business conditions of the
country are made from his Informal
ton obtaining position of General
Manager of the Eastern Division of
Wells, Fargo & Co.. is full Of conf
dence in the future OF. American BUSH
ness, believing that our trade is being
built upon strong foundation and
that it will enter more fully than
heretofore the foreign field. Col.
Evans is satisfied that il recent terri
torial acquisitions do not interpose
obstacles to business progress good
times are bound to long continue.
To a representative of The New York
Times Col Evans said yesterday:
Business at present is fairly good
Steady progress is still being made.
do not however, regard the situation
as indicative Of any boom. 1t is al
most six years since the country was
visited by financial crash and in
! that period there has taken place an
| important development of industrial
enterprise Concurrently with this
we have had moderate increase of
population and business requirements
/ have extended, augmenting consider
| ably the volume of trading at that
4 time There have been liquidations
and settlements, while our unduly ex-
pensive methods Of doing business
prior TO the crash have been thorough
/ ly overhauled.
..For the last two years, moreover,
we have had excellent crops and en-
I joyed good prices for agricultural pro-
ducts, while at the same time there
has been growing up an important ex-
port trade which has now assumed
important dimensions. One of the
most encouraging signs of the times
and of prosperity is the voluntary in
crease IN Tie wages Of operatives in
the wool, iron and other industries.
All this reflects a prosperous condi-
ton, and viewed from the CONNER
cial standpoint must be regarded as
/ Of much consequence.
] "Arising out of our contest with
Spain, it must be confessed that the
attention Of the world has been focus
ed TO a greater extent than ever before
upon the United States. European
nations not only regard this as coun-
! try Of greater Importance, but they
have also recos niZed our growing COM
mercial advantages and been attract
ed to our immense industrial develop
ment. To such an extent has this
gone that just now great many man
ufactured articles are being ordered
/ from America by the coun' ries of the
/ Continent, and even by England.
! The great British strike of last year
did much to place the English manu-
featuring establishments at disad-
vantage and put them far behind in
their orders, aud from the business
then diverted TO similar establish
ments in the United States, this
country has reaped much advantage
since.
"Apropos of this, understand that
! the Midland Railway of England has
lately placed a large order here for
| locomotives. Germany is also depend.
ent on us for several kinds of machin-
cry, and we are getting the advantage
OF a large trade from that quarter. 1
also learn that among Europeans gen.
orally our manufactures Of electrical
appliances are regarded as superior to
anything they themselves can turn
out. and heavy orders for this class of
material are being filed in the United
States, especially for Russia, where
electric roads are just beginning to be
built.
/ "On the other hand, we should not
lose sight Of the fact that also grow
ing out of the late war we have assum-
ed certain insular, or what some call
imperial, responsibilities; in other
words, we have acquired, whether
wisely or not, colonial possessions
that add to our National responsible
ties and that must necessarily be 2
very heavy drain upon our exchequer
In SO far as the acquisitions in the
West Indies are concerned, these
would seem to be but natural re-
suit of the war. | am somewhat ap-
prehensive, though, as to our Philip
pine possessions. Under the most
| favorable conditions, the expense OF
looking after these islands will be
considerable. How long even the ex-
| istinu condition If war there will