The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-04-09
MIGHTY POOR EXCUSE
Is That Put Up by British En-
gineers For Losing
THAT BRIDGE CONTRACT
Manila Railroad Project--Bat-
tie of Sunday Papers.

copyrighted, 1889. by Associated Press9
London, April S.-America's successful
competition in the industrial market. in
which she is beating the Britishers on
their own ground, is undoubtedly CAUSING
deep concern and heartburnings in British
engineering circles. The acrimonious pro-
tests Of English firms respecting the
awarding of the Aatbara bridge contract
10 a Philadelphia firm brought out Clearly
this feeling, and the attempts to explain
Americas success on the plea Of a glut of
work here do not harmonic with the
complaints OF English firms who have not
received orders which have been sent 10
America AS the St. James Gazette puts
it: IF the British manufacturers have
so much work that they cannot ascent
work, they are to be congratulated. But
in that case it is difficult to see why they
are complaining
The fact is that industrial circles here
recognize that these contracts mean more
than mere evanescent competition. as, IN
the case of American engines, the rail-
road authorities here have conceived the
very highest opinion of American work
This Is borne out by the statement of
Manager Smell, Of the locomotive depart
ment of the Great Northern railway.
which recently ordered engines from
America He said 10 a representative of
the Associated Press: Apart from the
fact that American builders are able 10
make more speedy delivery than the Eng
fish, there is no doubt whatever that
American engines are of the highest ex-
cellence and that their present features
and improvements are of such utility as
to attract the custom OF English COM
panies."
The Daily Mail, taking up the ques-
ton, urges a system of proflt-sharing,
with the introduction OF the newest and
best machinery, as the method whereby
America can be fought and worsted,"
though the paper adds: I'VE must own
that the nation is in some degree suffer
ing from lack of strenuousness both in
employers and employed"
Inquiries made by a representative OF
the Associated Press regarding the Bel
gian syndicate which Is about to send
party Of engineers to study the construc-
ton of a railroad between Manila ard
show that the district has already been
surveyed five times. The work was con-
sidered impracticable under the Spanish
regime. The Spanish government made
offers to the Manila Railroad company for
the construction OF the line, but there
was no response from any quarter, as the
petty exactions and interference of the
Spanish authorities rendered the enter
prise most difficult. The prospects. nat
urally, have changed under the American
administration and the Manila Railroad
company has been partly promised that
the United States authorities would take
over the existing railroads and exploit
them on the German state system. In
any case, the railroad company expects to
be fully Identified for it's losses in con-
sequence OF the arrangement. though an
enormous leap in business is inevitable as
soon as tranquility is restored.
The battle OF the Sunday papers will be-
gin tomorrow, when both the Daily Mail
and the Daily Telegraph will try to out
vie each other with their first number
Both Of them will present a brilliant ar
ray Of contributors. The Sunday Mail will
have articles by General Lord Kitchener.
on Khartoum; Hall Game; the Earl OF
Rosslyn, on his reasons for becoming an
actor; Ranjitsinhjl. the famous Anglo-In-
dian cricketer. and Clement Scott. who
has finally severed his connection with the
Daily Telegraph On the other hand. the
Sunday Telegraph has enlisted Sir Edwin
Arnold. T. P. O'Connor. Miss Braddon. II.
d. Trail. William L. Courtney and Ben
nett Burleigh. IN the meanwhile there
have been numerous protests from coun-
try town councils and religious bodies
against Sunday labor.