Washington sentinel., 1900-11-10
-, The Ger

1
commercial treaties has just pub
lished book written by It's presi
dent, DIR. Vosberg- Rekow, who, a!
German delegate, attended oui
last years Philadelphia industria
expedition and spent months in
investigating the industrial condi-
tions in the United States. This
book is remarkable for the candor
and ability with which DR.. Rekow
handles his important theme "The
Commercial Treaties of 1906" in
the treatment OF which he re-
views the economic conditions OF
the great industrial powers and
their relations toward each other
as competitors. DR.. Rekow says
that there are but three great world
powers-Great Britain. Russia and
the United States. After discuss
ing Germany's position toward the
two first named in her struggles
for industrial and commercial ad
vancement, he says, regarding the
United States:
"I now come to the last and, as
1 opine, the most powerful rival to
our economic future. l mean the
United States. 1t has, as far as its
strength and characteristics are
concerned, very little in commo
with any other nation, including
the other two world powers. The
Union forms a great economic
realm which possesses inherently
all organic conditions for econ
omic activity and prosperity, and
is sufficiently developed to plenti-
fully feed its population, which
latter is ample in numbers and in
culture to make it's bountiiul re-
sources available.
"While Great Britain with her
colonies likewise possesses all sup
ply sources for human needs, the
territories are not generally devel-
oped; neither do they form a com.
pact entirety. In proof, note the
East Indian famine; a condition
that could not possibly exist in the
United States.
Viewed from an economical
standpoint, Great Britain does not
even appear as a unit for this
reason: Divergent trade policies
exist in the different parts OF the
empire which lack a strong cen.
tralized will to give unified action.
Russia Is as vet in an enSryo CON
dition. Her mineral re sources are
awaiting exploitation; those OF the
United States are already well de-
veIoped, though far from becom
ing exhausted. The trans Caspian
cotton cultivation, now in its in
fancy, is retarded in its efforts to
gain a market by the high cost of
produc ction and lack OF transporta-
ton facilities, whereas American
cotton is a permanent and potent
factor in the world market.
"While the great mass OF Rus
sia's population remains in COM
atose state and occasionally
starves (but a small part partici-
pating in modern ecooomic work.,
the entire Yankee nation is like a
perfectly disciplined army stand
ing shoulder to shoulder at the
forge, the loom, or the printing
press, earning wealth from their
industry.
Rarely, if ever, will there be met,
in connection with natural riches
like those OF the United States, a
people like the Americans. No
aborigines are iettered by habits
inimical to progress. There is a
restless tide Of immiPrants; a pop
ulation always alert, eager for con-
quest, without hesitation or
scruples. These immigrants are
by no means the worst oil the pop
ulation the Old World could
spare; on the contrary, some Of
her cleVerest and best children are
among them. True, very few have
high refinement, but all possess a
certain amount ot world knowl-
edge, and even the most uncul-
tured OF them are endowed with
adaptabilIty to cope with lies vi
cissitudes.
THE influence going out from
such people cannot be otherwise
than powerful in a high degree.
Scarcely has this immense country
been brought under cultivation,
but its influence is felt across the
oceans. Europe, with her old
established industries, Is so hard
pushed by the young American
competition that the necessity OF
uniting in a common customs
league against the bold intruder
has become a matter of serious
consideration. Many European
lines OF manuiacture-aud by no