Evening star., 1901-07-05
Interest in Them Indicated at Eu-
ropean Capitals.
CHIEF AUSTIN SPEAKS OF Els TRIP
How Foreign Governments Train
Their Officials
DEVELOPMENT OF TRADE

Mr. o. p. Austin, the chief of the treas
ury bureau of statistics, has just returned
from a brief visit to London. Paris. Berlin.
Amsterdam and Brussels. where he went
for the purpose Of making some statistical
studies regarding the commerce OF Eu-
ropean countries and especially their COM
merce with their colonies and development.
ment.
Il was greatly impressed" said MIR. Aus
tin, with the interest eyInced in colonial
questions at all the capitals which 1 have
visited. Each OF these five countries has
Its colonial department or division, with a
thoroughly equipped force largely made UP
of men who have had long experience In
the colonies Of the countries. In England
the colonial office at the home government
interchanges, at intervals its employees. aa
far as practicable, with the colony thus
obtaining practical and experienced men In
the home office. and keeping a corps OF
men in training in the colonies. At the
Netherlands. whose COLONEL work is mat
ter of pride on the part OF every citizen OF
that country. the head Of the colonial de-
partment has had long experience in Java.
the principal Netherland colony and one
which has been eminently successful. In
France the colonial department is extreme
ly active. obtaining large numbers of re-
ports from Its colonial officers and distrib-
uting information by specially organized
and Belgium equal interest was manifested.
Out.ide OmciaI Circles.
Everywhere 1 found great public inter-
est In colonial matters outside of official
circles. In London. for inst ance there is a
colonial institute. composed OF several hun
dred ex-officials of the colonies and others
interested In colonial matters which has a
library Of nearly $1,000 volumes and which
Is in close working relation with the libra
ry of the colonial department. also con-
taining 10000 volumes The members Of
the institute hold monthly meetings for the
discussion of matters pertaining TO the
management, commerce, statistics and
prosperity of the colonies and their COM
mercial relations with the mother country.
At Paris there is a colonial Organization,
with about 5000 members. some of whom
have had experience in the colonies. others
are merchants and business men desiring
to keep In constant touch with business
conditions and opportunities in the colo
nies and still others who are students OF
colonial subjects from economic stand
point In Germany, although their colo
nial system is young compared with
those OF England, Netherlands or France,
the Colonial Association numbers over 20,-
600 members. scattered Throughout the en-
ptre, some OF whom are officers and ex-offi-
cials. others connected with the army and
navy. and many others who are interested
In the commercial and agricultural devel-
opment OF the colonies.
Study of Colonial Conditions.
THE study Of colonial conditions and the
products and commerce. is encouraged By
all the governments which control terri y
tory Of this character. The French gov
ernment maintains an educational institu-
tion devoted exclusively to colonial studies
and the training of men for the colonial
service. Admission to its classes is OBJ
tained through competitive examinations:
the term of study Is three and
instructors are men of high standing. both
in colonial experience and in the study Of
economies. While the primary object OF
this institution is to educate men for the
colonial service. those who prefer at the
end of their term to devote their efforts
to the commercial and agricultural devei-
opment Of the colonies may do so. The
Netherlands government also maintains q
training school similar In character, and
the English government has a somewhat
similar system for the training of men for
service in India and the colonies.
Colonial Museums.
''In nearly all of the countries in ques-
ton there are excellent and interesting
colonial museums devoted to the exhibition
OF not only the products of the colonies.
but also the articles required by their
population, and in many cases they are
accompanied by admirable statistical state
ments showing the growth in production
Of the principal articles and the growth In
exports from and imports into the colonies.
Each of the governments maintains
statistical service by which the commerce
OF the colonies is carefully studied and
the share which the mother country sup
plies of the imports or receives of the ex-
ports carefully tabulated. the receipts and
expenditures of the colonies and of the
home government on account OF them re-
corded and the growth OF agricultural.
commercial and educational conditions
noted.
Especial attention is given in all cases
TO the ability Of the colony to meet the
commercial wants of the mother country.
Countries which do not produce within
their own borders the foodstuffs and raw
materials required by their population en-
courage the production in the colonies of
the articles thus required at home, while
the countries which produce their own
foodstuffs raw materials look to the col
onies for the tropical products which they
cannot produce at home. and encourage
the production Of those articles in the col
ones and their distribution in the mother
country. The investment of home capital
in the colonies is thus encouraged through
the assurance given that the products of
those colonies will find a ready market in
the mother country; the manufacturers and
producers of the mother country are In
turn assured of an enlarged market in the
colonies through the increased consuming
power which accompanies their increased
production and sales and the general pros
perity of the colonies through Increased
production. larger markets and better
roads. railways and improved educational
facilities is thus assured"