The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-04-20
ESGLANn,S DANCER


ments ever made by any responsible
minister Of state Of a great nation is
that of Sir Michael Hicks Beach when
presenting the budget OF the government
in the British house of commons on
Thursday last. Z think" said the chan
celor of the excheQuer, that the house
will see that the war has brought this
country to the verge of ruin
If Britain has been brought to the verge
of ruin by the maintenance Of a war with
a few thousand Beers, what, it may be
asked, might be the expected result if
that nation were to be engaged for a
corresponding period in war with one
or more of the great world powers. The
cost Of the war thus far has been stated
by the chancellor of the exchequer as
something like $500, 900 computed in
American money. It is, as that official
points out, twice as great as the cost
of the Crimean war, and it will be sup
plemented by a government loan of over
fifth of the amount
Were such statement as that quot ed
above made by even a leading member
of the opposition to the government it
must necessarily attract much attention.
Coming from the high financial officer Of
the government, and being substantially
unqualified by any attending statement.
1t gives the amplest opportunity to the
enemies OF England to rejoice over such
an extraordinary result.
1t seems quite evident that Sir Michael
Hicks-Beach was straining more than
one point to present the worst aspect of
the financial situation to the house. Sure
OF his majority, he proposed to make a
virtue of a supreme necessity by avoid
ing all attempt at minimizing the great
ness Of the difficulty which c5nfronts
England at this moment The South
African war Will soon be brought to a
close ore way Or another, although it
will evidently cost the British govern
ment still good many more millions of
pounds sterling before they have sue
ceeded. if they ever do succeed, in SUBJ
jugating the Beers. England is proverb-
Tally rich. No nation in Christendom
can compete with her in point of wealth.
Her financial resources, no wfthstanding
that according to the parliamentary
statement of the English chancellor Of
the eXchequer she is on the verge of
ruin, are today practically tnexhausti-
BILE
The South African war and it's ire
mendous expense to the empire, both in
the blood of her bravest men and In
money outlay, do not represent the dan
ger which confronts the British empire.
1t IS not that war, no matter how pro-
longed it may be, which will ever sue
coed in taking from her the national pre-
eminence which she enjoys today. 1t is
the decaGence of her trade, the signs
of which are forcing themselves on the
attention Of her statesmen. England
built her supremacy in trade and COM
merce during period when she was vfr-
tually without a rival among the ma
lions. Until the United States emerged
from the Civil war they were little more
than a mere tender to British greatness
in commerce and manufactures. In no
sense did their activity involve rivalry
They sent TO England huge quantities Of
their raw products, which came back to
them in manufactured form. England
did the bulk of our manufacturing for
Us up to the end of the first half of the
last century. The balance Of trade was
ever uniformly against US
During the year 1900 our exports ex-
ceedcd our imports by nearly $65O, ZOO, OOo
Ne have reduced our imports from Eu-
rope in ten years from $474, 100000 to s439,
COO,G0e-a decrease Of $25, G0O,O9O, while in
the same period we have increas-
ed our exports from $6S2, 100000 to
Sill, eco, GO. an increase of $429. COO. 900.
When, in connection with these figures
1t is recalled that, as recently pointed
out by the bureau of foreign commerce of
the state department, the widest range
of consumption of our goods is found in
such countries as England, Germany and
France, it is not difficult to understand
that British pre-eminence in world com.
merce is being dangerously assailed from
across the Atlantic ocean.
Within a few weeks a report made bv
Lord Roberts while in command of the
South African armies, has been mad
public. According to that report English.
made products yielded TO the strain Of
wear and tear more readily than an,
other articles of the same character com
ing from other countries; while man,
Of the articles used by the troops o.
American manufacture, especially arm,
wagons, showed their superior eheapnes.
and durability over all others of the same
character.
No man Of the present generation vii
probably ever live to see the words OF
Sir Michael Hicks-Beach brought within
measurable distanceAo of practical realiza.
ton If England, however, is not, or i.
not likely to be for many years to come