New-York tribune., 1901-01-12
THE PASSING THRONG.

There can be little or no doubt that IN recent
years England has lost steadily in the competition
for the worlds trade" said Wal
THE DECLINE ter R swensOn. of Philadelphia.
OF BRITISH at the Fifth Avenue Hotel yes
TRADE terday This loss to England in
trade competition has come about
from a variety Of causes. Other countries have
undersold her in certain things which they could
raise or manufacture at less cost lhan could the
English The inventive genius of other peoples
has also told heavily against them. The Yankee
ingenuity and smartness Great Britain fond
of deridng in the earlier DAYS of the nineteenth
century are rapidly driving her out of competition
in supplying the worlds markets with machinery.
These and other things have combined to threaten
the commercial supremacy of Albion. i}ut it is
another and mere deep rooted evil that saps the
PIre; The country is trade law ridden, and.
Ghanges a'e made in the labor laws of Great
Britain the day viii soon arrive when she will
cease TO be serious competitor for the worlds
trade, When that day dawns it will mark the dis
first class Powers To-day the world is a huge com
mercia proposition Little or no territory is open
conquest discovery do not belong this century
of the great nations lies in the direction of trade
and all the troubles that marked the closing years
competition. That any doubt, matter how
remote. should arise that England viii continue
is Of extraordinary interest to ALL for 1t has di-
nation"
strongly labor holds the British Empire by the
throat. The unwise labor laws that
BURDEN have from time to time been en-
SOME LABOR acted there slowly choking the
LAWS. commercial life out of the Empire
While farsighted English states
men recognize and depore this of affairs they
claim to be powerless to change help matters
To attack the labor laws there is to commit pOlit
ical suicide and the workingman IS SNUG and
complaCent and will hear of no change One reason
is the lack of hope and ambition in the English
workingmau. He feels that there is chance of
lettering his lot. What he Is he will continue
be, no matter how he may strive TO improve his
condition This hopelessness of future advance
men is born and bred in him, and so he strives TO
70 himself as possible This hopelessness of the
and while the workingmen of Great Britain dimly
comprehend that there may be trouble for the
care not fig. so long they comfortable for
| the present. The ambition OF the American work
| had friend who competed for contract in
London and obtained it. lie had 20 finish within
specified time, but seemed unable TO hurry his men.
Investigation disclosed the fact that his brcklayers
were only laying four hundred bricks day a
New-York; He offered TO pay extra TO have them
against the laws of the labor union. Appeals or
brbes were useless TO change matters. and so: in
. order TO complete his contract within the time
specified he had to send to this country and at
great expense carry American brcklayerS across
way in which the labor laws there pan out, friend
Of his was doing some drilling work & line n5n ] IN
inches day. From this he dropped slowly down
ment he stolidly replied he was only opcE Ing tne
orders Of his union which had told him not 10 DO
lad employed in his place. After two days nstruc
tion the boy able 10 drill ten inches with tne
in stepped the union and demanded the discharge of
TenaItv Of stris. that would shut down the entire
to submit and 10 back 70 drilling four inches