The sun., 1900-12-30
OUR GRASP ON COMMERCE:
ENGLAND DIsCrssIN0 THE sECRyT o.
AMERICAN Success.
End sf the Century investisatios Of the
Changes In tho balance Of Power In
teiiiEencs and Teal Of American Men Of
Business Root Of British Business Evil.

speeidi Caois Despatch 10 THE sr,.
LONDON. Dec. 2e.--Nuuons as well as indi-
viduals seem TO DO devotIng themselves TO a
more serious introspection at the present
moment than ever before. IL is a peculiar
historical coincidence that the end OF the
century Is marked by turning point In Inter-
national relationships. or rather an nimpending
change OF leadership. In the great race OF
human progress. 1t Ia more in the domain OF
accomplished fact than OF prophecy to say
that the balance OF power In the sense OF
prosperity and Industrial acco mpllshnlents
Il trembling between the Old World and tho
New. Every serious Lutlic print in England
and Europe has been discussing this sub. ect
In the past few day 3 In terms 20 solemn that
they are almost sad II Is only the fippant
commentators in England. at all events. who
see no warning in the recent trend Of affairs
and who welcome the twentieth century with
gay confidence. Thevast. measureless poten-
TALLY OF America in shaping the future desti-
MES Of humanity has come as a 81 dden reve-
latlon TO Europe Human nature is still so
poor thing that this realization has awakened
envy and alarm as " ell as q salutary spirit Of
emulation.
/ should bs glad 20 transmit some ex-
tracts from the published comments on the
situation in order to further inspire the
American people to carry on their glorious
mission In full confidence: but ! am pre-
vented by a typical instance Of Old World
lack OF energy. Thursdays gale Frustrated
nearly all the wires from London 10 the coast.
and the British telegraph department has
not as yet restored all tho lines which con-
meet the metropolis with the American cable
stations Tho cable companies. therefore
notify mo that dispatches must be as brief
es possible. l cannot refrain. however.
from calling attention TO one or two points
made by English seekers after the secret
OF American success.
Thus tho Tirnes. In . powerful leader to-
day, says: The choice given to youth is the
chief secret OF the amazing enterprise ex-
hibited by the American iron and steel trade
during the last dozen years. Al the head Of
great ahairs are young men. Youth gets
there a position which is supposed here to
belong TO long experience. Men OF 80 con-
trol concerns which here would seem to be
the prerogatve of men of so. There II Is
believed that for business purposes demanding
energy and fresh perceptions man or 30
is as good as he Is ever likely to be. and for
many purposes Il great deal better than he
will be II he is successful twenty years after.
The writer OF remarkable series OF ar
ticlcs on American engineering competition
printed In tho Times last spring. says In an
article in new series to-day: In the whole
course O. my last trip In the United States,
where l made the matter one OF close OBJ
servation. l can remember only one or two
instances OF elderly men taking leading
part In the management OF works. and In
one Of these the business. though OF great
reputation, did not give great promise of
further advancement
The Times adds ejtorially: The Ameri-
can youth has knowledge OF business when
he quits school or college which is rarely
possessed by an Eusli-hman OF tho same
age The former l. not usually difldent
in putin: forward his own ideas. lie has
been accustomed TO talk over business matters
with his father in way which IS rare here.
The chances are that he enters his fathers
business with n stock OF knowledge Of which
a Young Englishman. fresh from university
or public school. has no inkliug.
In an analysts OF the causes at work ad-
verse TO England, something should be said
Of tho great Intelligence and zeal put into
affairs by the American man OF business
He takes his pleasure in what he Is doing
and Is not afraid TO admit that he Is in pork
or in grain IL the fact be SO. lie is curious
as to all that affects his business. md he Is
opcu TO new IDEAS In way which IL unusual
with US. What has succeeded In the past
will not succeed In the future is a working
maxim with the best men OF business, who
are ready to throw their experience as well
as their nntlquuted machinery on the scrap
heap. There ure some signs OF change
In this respect in this country. but the Idea
that there is something respectable. solid
and satisfactory In doing In the mill. work.
shop and countinghouse what ones fathers
did dies hard"
The Spectator to-day goes TO the root OF
British industrial degeneracy. which has
been fully exploited IN the columns OF THE
Sun. namely. the refusal OF English work
men under trade union influences TO render
an honest equivalent for their wages. The
Spectator concludes: we believe II a depu-
tstion OF British trades unionists OF the best
type were to visit America ard conduct 4
thorough investigation OF trade conditions
there they would return convinced that their
duty ~ their countrymen In future would
be best dscl arged by encouraging the uni
versal practice OF the best and hardest work
compatible with health during recognized
working hours
Tho foregoing self criticisms are typical
OF the new century reflections OF such En-
glshmcn as read tho signs OF the times Alright