Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1901-02-01

flying a result indicates continued improve /,
ment in the activity and zeal of our con-
sllar officers we'll as in the system OF
publishing and distributing their reports.
Improvement of Consular Service.
at may be said indeed, that, while
variety of propositions have been I'M
der discussion for the Improvement OF
the consular service, the service has to
a very considerable extent improved itself,
and is winning frequent expressions o.
commentator from business interests
which have received substantial aid, not
only from the published reports, but also
from the individual efforts of consular Of
ficers to meet the growing requirements of
American industry and enterprise. The
practical character of the commercial in
formation obtained by our consuls and the
CELEBRITY with which it is given to the
| public continue to excite the emulation
| of foreign governments, and during the
| past year steps have been taken by both
| Great Britain and Germany to engraft
| these features of our consular work upon
| their consular systems.
Rapid Commercial Progress
THE general conclusion to be drawn
| from survey of the conditions in foreign
| countries. as described in the reports here
! with presented, is that the United States
| is approaching, even more swiftly than
| was expected, position of eminence in the
| worlds markets, due to superior quality
| and greater cheapness of many lines OF IL
| manufactures, which must work great
| economic changes and may result in SHIFT
| ing the center not only of Industrial but
| Of commercial activity and the money
! power of the world to our marts. TIE
| trade indications of American supremacy
! during the past year have been so marked
| that many foreign industries, according to
! the reports of our consuls in Europe are
! introducing American machinery and la
bor-SaVing appliances and remodeling their
| factory methods, and we may expect in
the near future, more strenuous compe-
tition for which 1t is important we should
prepare ourselves. As an aid to such
equipment, the study of the great mass of
information as to foreign industries and
trade conditions, which is to be found in the
two volumes of Commercial Relations, will
obviously prove most useful to our manu-
facturers and exporters, and l therefore
| recommend that congress be requested to
| authorize. as was done last year, the print
| ing of special edition of 10000 copies of
| the Review of the Worlds Commerce and
5000 copies of Commercial Relations.
| (Signed) JOHN HAY"
Washington, Jan. 30.-The house
spent the day upon the agricultural
| appropriation bill. 1t was used as a
| vehicle for the introduction of several
general speeches. Mr.. Thayer Mass
discussed the ship subsidy bill. Mr..
| White {N. CO.. the colored member who
| goes out of congress March A.. delivered
his valedictory upon the general sub
| ject of the aspirations of his race, and
Mr.. Gaines (Tenn.) discussed the limi-
| tations Of the constitution in connec-
tion With our insular possessions. Mr..
Corliss (Mich.) made vicious on
caught upon the bureau of animal in
dustry of the agricultural department,
| but his attack raised host of defend
ers, and his amendment to reduce the
appropriation for the bureau was over
whelminglN defeated. Allthat portion
OF the bill relating to the reorganiza-
ton of the scientific bureaus of the
agricultural department. went out on
q point Of order raised by Mr.. Mahon
| lPa.J.
Washington, Jan. Ex-senator FRYE
gave notice in the senate Tuesday that
ne intended to keep the shipping bill
tothe front, even as against appropria-
ton bills, not yielding to them nth
out vote of the senate. 1t indicated
disposition on the part of senate
leaders to force to an early issue the
question whether the shipping bill is
going to pass at this session. Senator
Turner (Wash.) spoke in severe ar
raignme Mt of the bill, declaring it to
be "lawless, piratieal raid upon tho
public treasury" IN the interest of D