The sun., 1900-12-09
AIMTO BUY OURFACTORIES.
UNASLs TO COMPETE. ENGLJsHMKN
WANT TO SHARE Our PROFITS.
r.vsds, by London Capitalists Nay Ne
Locked Form esire to Change Amer.
isaa Aaaassmsnt or suppisnt Americas
workmen Tho Reported Union Of the
Cramps Firm and vickeTs sons MaHim
sp.riai casl. D.,pa,ch to THE srs

Sperf1 CdbN DsspNcN 10 ihh oSN
LONDON, Dec. st may or may not be
true that the Cramp shipbu'ldins company
and vIckcrs Sons 4 Maxim will consolidate.
buttis fact that certain leaders of England .
greatest industry are contemplating rad'-
cal change Of policy which iS of the utmost
Importance to American interests Ihey
realize tho hopelessness OF competition In
oertain lines with American manufactures
under the present industrial condition Of
this country. They know also that those
conditions can be changed only by gigantic
struggle with the labor unions. which must
bring disaster to both sides. They. therefore.
are serio ously con nsdering the project OF buy
ing up the best American enterprises and
transferring the greater part Of their busi-
ness tothe American factories thus purch ased
This policy involves the confession that
American competition Is invincible. but 1t
also spells ruin to the industrial interests In
several lines OF British trade. The question
Of Its advantage or disadvantage to America
IL a matter OF the greatest moment. There
10 not the slightest doubt that the most en-
uehtenei English manufacturers under
stand far better than the Americans them
selves the vast opportunities within reach
of the United States for securing great
share of the worlds trade. Moreover.
Engllshmen are accustomed TO make plans
extending much farther into the future than
those Of the average American business man.
The effect of these conditions will be that
II British manufacturers and capitalists
undertake to get control OF American enter
prises they will be sure to offer tempting
and even absurd prices. according to the
present valuations. No capitalization In
reason, for instance. would be too high to
put upon the Cramps shlpyards. because
there is no limit to the expansion OF business
which can be undertaken Immediately. Eng
lish capitalists are fully convinced OF this.
but they hope the American investing public
will not realize It.
More than one American 'oncern Just
launching out In foreign trade is likely soon
10 be tempted by the offer OF fancy price
In British gold. which will be accompanied
probably by an invitation to the present
msnas, ment to remain In control. English
inventors have far too high an opinion OF
American brains to think OF supplanting
them. and. above all. they do not dream OF
discardlng American workmen. In fact.
IL 10 the superior intelligence and energy
Of Ameri can skilled labor which chiefly in
duces English capital to consider the aban-
donment Of the home field and go where am
bition has the fullest scope and progress
is the watchword among employees as well
az employers. Those who have most to fear
from tho carrying out OF this design are.
Of course. the laboring classes OF FL gland.
How long 1t will be before their eyes are
opened and they abandon their restrictive.
ntagonistic fallacies. will depend. Of course.
on the extent to which trade Is diverted to
American factories by their present EN-.
ployers. 1t is obvious. however. that the
crisis in English Industries will be fastened
and the present unexampled opportunities
for American trade In the English markets
correspondingly curtailed.
The immediate question for Americans
is Shall English ,apital secure large share
Of the vast profits OF American enterprise
and labor?