The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-04-19
COMMERCIAL BOSS OF THT
WORLD.
Editor Of The Tribune

EultOr OF Inc Tribune
SRA very interesting and able article ap
pears in The April issue OF the Fortnightly Re
view, entitled 'Will Germany Fnil?" The con
tention OF the writer, who, by the way, i.
anonymous, is this: That Germany has reached,
OF is about shortly to reach, The climax Of hel
Industrial and commercial expansion as it Isl
that it she is one day 10 become great manu-.
iactuling and industrial center like England she
must lay aside her militarism and naval day
dicains and depend upon the agricultural resource;
of the United States to sustain her in her IN
dustrial competitive struggle against this coun
try Great Britain, Japan and Russia; that the
German Empire has over.reached its ambition
that while she has undoubtedly tho greatest army
in the world at the present moment. the cam
paign in China has demonstrated that the Ger.
man military machine, perfectly automatic as il
undoubtedly is, is far from being invinciblc, and
has certainly lost some oi its prestige.
This writer points out that Germany, as a
nation, has two ambitious projects before hcr-
to humiliate England and to upset the Monroe
doctrine on the American continent.
How is this TO be done?
In the first place England beaten and hunili.
ated, Germany would, Of course, be mistress OF
the seas. Nothing easier then than to usurr
England's dominion in Canada to which not
unnaturaly the Germans do not thinn the Monroe
Of every hundred Americans do at this moment
that the Monroe Iootrine is one which is only
effective in regard to the South American re-
publits.
With foothold on the American continent,
the German ''invincible'' army would pick its
way through Austria, the Balkan provinces and
work her destiny quietly and effectively toward
Constantinople, where, noblesse oblge, the EN-.
peror OF Germany and the emperor OF Russia
would be able to effect some arrangement to suit
their own purposes
The German press is outrageously insulting to.
ward Great Britain; it is hardly less so toward
this country. Why! Because in the future
domination Of the eartl that is the immediate
future-this and The next century-practically
only two factors can or will count-the Teutonic
and the Anglo-Saxon. What about the Slav? I
have not forgotten that potentia! chronological
factor; but we can leave him out Of account for
the next decade or two, except in China, in con.
siderng the commercial units of the world.
The Teuton claims ninety millions OF the most
prolific race that ever trod the surface OF the
globe; the Anglo.saxon eighty millions, relatively
decreasing in birth rate, growing more inventive
and resourcefu, yet developing a luxuriousness
and epicurianism which their fathers knew not.
Against whom are we training out fleet. build.
ing ship against ship? Against England? No;
such war; thank Gcd, is unthnkablc If Eng.
land looses her trade, we shall get it, and Eng.
lishmen know it and accept the situation. But
Great Brtain's commercial and Industrial deca.
dence would be black day for US. No nation
afford to loose good customer; a national
customer thrown out OF work, so to speak, would
not add to our revenue.
But Germany is praying night and day that
John Bull may be thrown out OF work in order
to step into his shoes But that stold old
gentleman is holding his own with war on
his hand, or rather two hundred and fifty thousand
men in the field trying to make war, that is
making his saturine temperament more gloomy
and respondent than it actually need be. Who,
then, are we building our feet against--not, Of
course with an aggressive or even an unflicndly
intent? Why. against the jackpoot agrarans
and slave drivers Of Prussia, who have less TT.
spect for us and infinitely more hatred than
the poor Spaniard who knew us not better than
to call us ''pig.srickers.'
We have ten million of German tellow.citzcns
in this country, as loyal and faithful ever
breatled. But when one Of these country
men visits the old country the German gen.
darmcs arc as happy to nab him as u trappcr
in the Hudson Bay territory is to trap silver
gray foy. This is not because the German au-
thorities are so Jealous to trap straggler from
the United States to add to the army, where,
to say the least Of him, he would be discontentcd
il not dangerous, put Is one OF its mulitudinous-
ly indirect ways to show Its contempt and fear Of
the United States. Yet whatever may he the
fate OF England, Uncle sam will remain boss Of
the commercial world.
No country has a blcakcr commercial outlook
than Germany AZ the present moment.
-. N. Greer.