The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-01-31
GERMANY'S STRIDES.
Emperor William the Star Expan-
sionist of Today-In Sixteen Years
the Germans Have Acquired Col
onies Five Times as Large rs the
Mother Country.

In an article on The United States
OF the World written by George La.
laad Hunter. in Ainslee'S. we find this
lhtert sting outline of Gcrmany's pro-
gresS In the last twenty years. 'Tha
German empire. learning wisdom from
England, and perhaps remembering
the ambitions of the Great Elcctor two
ceAturi"s before. refused to be con-
tent with land empire and longed for
the freedom Of the sea. They went 10
British shipyarfs and learned how to
put together the enormous shells Of
steel that are used today for COM
merce and for war upon the ocean.
In many respects. they have already
surpassed their teachers.
I'm the short space Of sixteen years
the Germans have acquired colonies
with five times the area and one-ffth
the population Of the mother country.
AS the most fertile spots of the earth
rad already been preempted, how
ever they were obliged to take what
had been neglected by others as of no
account. The first rich prize they se-
cured was Kiao Chau bay, with the
province Of Shantung as q sphere Of
influence. Here they will have an op-
portunity to show what German pa
tience, German thrift and German
method can accomplish. judging by
what has been done in less promising
colonies, the result will be gratiry-
ing to German eXpansionists, Of whom
Emperor William is first
In China there is every reason why
Germans should allan themselves
with the great commercial nations.
German manufacturers have reached
a point where they can compete in
open market with any i'm the world.
What they ask now is that their gov
ernment should give them an oppor-
tunity to compete. And while Agrar.
ian influence has i'm the past hampered
trade relations-notaby with th,,
United States--the Industrial growth
OF Germany is such tia: the political
power of the AGrarinEs is diminish
ing. OF course, the Germans would
not be too modest To undertake alone
the exploitation of the whole of China,
but that Is impossible.
while no one can prophesy with
certainty what great power Is so,ne
day to occupy Cons.antinopla it is
significant that the Germans are ex-
plotting commercially not only Tur-
key, but also the Balkan states. Ger
man capital has taken advantage OF
the personal friendship existing be-
tween the kaiser and the sultan 70
secure concessions i'm Turkey for the
building Of railways and the intro
duct.on of steamship lines. The infiu-
cnce that France once exercised in
the Levant has been superseded by
German influence. The influence Ot
Russia. still great because Of fear. be- :
comes less III proportion az the sultan
leans more upon his friend, Emperor
William. The theatrica. trip OF the
latter to Palestine was an outward
sign Of this. England. II should be
noted. appears to he content to allow
Germany to grow at the expense Of
Russia.
I'm Persia again German AMI Eng
lish interests are opposed to Russian
interests. When the Germans build 10
BagdaG. the railway Cor which they
already have a concession. and which
the sultan Is eager to have construct
ed, it can be made 10 pay only by
extending Il through Persia to con-
meet with irc T?nalish railway in In
dia. This would complete the over