The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-26
RUSSIA HAS A BRIGHT FUTURE.
Consul General Smith Advises American
Capitalists to Invest There


Capitalists to Invest There.
"Nine-tenths of the stories cabled
from Europe about probable wars be-
tween Russia and other European or
As1astic states are absolutely without
foundation" said Thomas Smith, consul
general of the United States at Mos
COW, to Tribune reporter at the Wal
dorf-Astoria last night. Mr. Smith has
been living in Moscow for So years and
President Mckinley appointed him CON
sui general soon after he was inaugu-
rated.
Mr.. Smith is a man about so years
old, and, although he has had but lit
tie to do with Americans since going
to Russia, except by correspondence,
he still retains the manner and speech
or Yankee He went to Russia with
the Winanses of Baltimore as civil
and mechanical engineer. when the
railroad was built between Moscow and
st. Petersburg, and he has amassed
wealth there in railroad building and
furnishing railroad SUPPLIES. He was
born in Paterson and spent two or
three days there this week, hunting up
boyhOod friends The place he was so
changed that he hardly recognized it,
but he found some of his old associ-
ates. He is spending the remainder of
his time in the United States at the
Waldorf and will sail the latter part
of this month for his distant post.
Mr.. Smith, commenting on the re-
ported strained relations between Rus
STA and Japan, said:
AS matter of fact. Russia having
obtained a firm foothold in Talien-
Wan and Port Arthur for her eastern
terminal of the Trans-Siberian railway,
is not looking for trouble with Japan ,
or any other country Why should she?
She has more territory now than she
knows what to do with, and more is
coming to her all the time. I mean by
that that those wild tribes between
southern Siberia and northern India
are one by one asking the white en-
peror' to take them under his wing.
They keep coming without any urging.
The rulers of the tribes notice that
Russia does not interfere with their
religion or tax them or conscript their
young men for the army and that
makes them want the protection of the
Russian government. Russia does not
want India, and the periodical sensa-
tons about Russian aggressions there
are amusing to the Well-informed peo-
pie of Russia.
Now it the time for Americans to
take advantage of the uneXampled OPP
portunities offered in Russia for the in
vestment of capital. American prestige
there is unquestioned. Our machinery
is bought in preference to that made
by any other country and an American
needs no passports there in order to get
into confidential relations with the
solid people of the nation, 1t may sur
prise Americans to know that little
Belgium has billions of dollars invested
| there. l mean billions. not millions.
| They are centered chilly in Southern
| Russia, or Katirinoslavye. and to my
| certain knowledge the Belgians are
| making from 40 to 10 per cent on their
| investments in steel manufacturing
| plants there. The Westinghouse have
established plant at ST. Petersburg
| in charge of Charles r. Crane of Chi
cago Their first order amounted to
$4,000 600. and they have just received a
second one for S2,500,0O0 l am afraid
the Westinghouse will have their
heads turned by the nice things the
Russians are saying about them. I
| wish l could say something to impress
my countrymen here at home with the
fact that Russia is the country of the
| future. and that investments there are
absolutely safe There is perfect free
| dom there for everyone if he leaves poll
| tics alone
Another thing I'd like to speak of
is the money of Russia. There is no
| paper money in circulation among the
people. 1t is all gold. There is an ef-
| fort on foot at the present time to get
the government to issue paper money,
but it sticks to the yellow metal. The
finances of the country are in an ex-
cellent condition. The empire is rails
ing it's own funds for the building of
the great Trans Siberian railway. The
labor is largely done by Cinnamon and
prisoners, both Of whom are maid. This
labor enables the government to build
the road cheaply and the contractors
are encouraged to economy by a system
devised when the work was first start
, ed. A government contractor takes q
certain amount of grading and track
laying to construct. Say that $4,000, 600
is allowed him for the work by the
government. 1t is then understood that
if by practicing economies he can save
100000 or 100000 and still build the
road and do good work, he is allowed to
| do it. This is liberal treatment on the
part of the government and keeps the
cost of the road down to the minimum
as the contractors practice the strict
est economy.
THE government has some trains or
this great road as elegantly appointed
as can be found in the world. It is
possible to ride for eight and halt
days and have all the comforts of home
without leaving the train. When built
the road will reduce the time spent ir
travelling from Moscow to Nagasak
Japan, from two or three months to Is
days. That means a practical revolu
ton in the traffic between European
and Pacific coast points, The road is
doing great business now, but moth
ing to what it will do when the line is
built through to Talien-Wan 1t ha:
been decided now to make the line tina
reaches to Valdivostock only a branch
The main line will be the one which
stretches through Talien-W Wan to Por
Arthur. There is little doubt abou
Russia holding Port Arthur indefinitely
When left Moscow I understood Their
were eight Russian admirals at Por