The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-10-22

Is a double triumph, commercial, in
which America shares, and political, in
which China is vitality interested.
Without doubt the much discussed
eastern question is solved. The Rus
slams hold the key. Her policy in Asia
is distinctly to preserve the independ-
ence and integrity of China. Meantime
Russia helps herself TO what she
wishes: the gaining of Manchuria now
makes her domain exceed in extent that
of England The new railroad. eX-
tending as it win soon to the very walls
of Pekin, viii make much more posi-
bic for the northern empire. II is
significant fact that wherever Russia
builds railroad the country surround
ing becomes Russian.
It Is 10 American skill and ingenuity
that a large share of credit for this
commercial triumph should go. Three
wears ago America was not represented
in the Siberian railway construction
market: she has since displaced all
other nations. Early in '9l, NJ. Sergey
Friede a prominent member of the
Engineers club of New York. became
convinced that American implements
and railway supplies could be sold IN
eastern Siberia. He was thoroughly
familiar with conditions there, and had,
as he said. perfect confidence IN the
possibilities OF America" The story
A
Nanchuria and Siberia i one of the
most interesting chapters in the history
Of the railroad.
When l reached Vladivostok,' said
Mr. Friede, / found that the local engi-
neers would not listen to what they
regarded as Wild stories Of what
America could do in the line of manu-
facture Of tools and machinery. The
great Russian engineer Iugowitch, was
off in Manchuria on his way TO sun
gari river So executed q flank move
ment. went 10 Newchwang, and by go
ing north intercepted the Russian party
near the Sungari river. / found these
men We're willing to hear what had 10
saw At that time everything was pc
ing supplied by England and Germany
English manufacturers thought Russia
had to come to them and that no other
country could compete; and Russia
would have gone to them, as she had
before, if had not gone there and told
Of the possibilities of America.
il is curious 10 note that before this
time Americas export trade with Rus
eia amounted to d very little.
= remember when 1 first told the
engineers that America could supply
nails cheaper than England could Mr..
Friede went on, they laughed at me.
At the present time there are no other
nails there except the American. Then
there was the question OF England
supplying the commercial iron. AS a.
matter of fact, this iron was ordered
by me in this country afterwards. In
the case of rails, Russia intended to
supply these herself but found that her
own mills could not turn them out as
quickly as they We're neeG<sd-and
America came in again The first or
der was for 10000 tons. The joke Of
it was that the order was placed with
an American firm through an English
agency
How did you succeed in turning
Russian attention our way2
We'll. l took with me catalogues of
American material in railroad con-
struction / first told them what we
could do. They We're not willing TO be-
lieve me. They would ask: How much
is so and 500 and Can YOU compete
with England?' They had no idea of
America. as an exporting nation. 1t
was, therefore. not always a question
of price but Is there such a place as
America where they can really do these
things2' The Russian idea was that
Americans were buffers. They thought
we Dragged a lot, but could do little.
To a Russian. America was known as
.Yankeeland-' Even the word Yam
kee' is adopted into the Russian Ian
guage, and it is the name by which