Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-26
COMMERCIAL EXPANSION
Is Mt the Bottom of Movements TO
Open Up China and Africa.

From Bradstreet's January 10.
The dominant note in the politics OF tho
world today, particularly in its international
politics, is the commercial one 1t lie IN
reality the need for commercial expansion,
the demand for new and wider markets,
that is at the bottom of the movements
TO open up China, to organize the long
ohscured terra incognita of Africa, to eX-
tend European power in Asia generally. AT
times these movements have outrun con-
scious purpose, but none the less they have
been in obedience to unconscious or only
dimly felt instinct, which often supplies the
real driving force of nations. 1t is not too
much to say that no statesman worthy Of
the name today touches upon the outlook
for his own or other nations in the immedi-
ate future who does not take account of the
main factor in the great struggle of the ma
tons in modern times, their commercial and
industrial condition and prospects. 1t IL
frankly recognized that the international
politics of the immediate future must be 10.
an increasing degree commercial and indus
trial politics in the wider Specification OF the
term.
1t is, therefore not surprising to find a
statesman like Lord Rosebery, who has not
only been prime minister of the most dis
tinctively commercial! empire OF the modern
world but has shown himself to be to a
very unusual degree In touch with all In
terests discourslng of "the great COM
mercial warfare" of the present and the
near future at a chamber of commerce,
banquet. Speaking at Wolverhampton OF
England's position in the coming compe-
tition, he warned his hearers that the
chief rivals to be feared by his country
were America and Germany. The most
formidable rivals were. he said, the Amert-
cans, with their vast and almost incalculable
resources, their acutenesS and enterprise
and their huge population. which would
probably be 100 600 900 in twenty years, to-
her wit n t1,n Mo hQu nHn tod
putting accumulated wealth into great CO.
operative syndicate trusts for the purpose
Of carrying on this great commercial war
fare. On the other hand, the Germans,
with their calculating and conQuering spirit
and the energy with which they seized the
best and most economical methods, were
little less redoubtable than the Americans.
There was no trace of tnSuar Self-sufti-
cheney In the frankness with which Lord
Rosebery declared that, in order to with
stand international competition, England
must thoroughly educate her youth, and
that he would suggest sending patches OF
young men abroad to learn the best that
Eng!and's rivals knew. 1t will be seen that
it is to training along specific lines and
not to past prestige that this enlightened
statesman would commit the commercial
destiny of his great nation in the future.
There is one feature of his address, how
ever, that seems to call for particular men
ton. namely, his recognition Of the i'm
menSe power of combinations under mod
ern conditions. He pointed out to his hear
erS that the Americans, scarcely satisfied
with gigantic individual fortunes, used
these by combination to make a capital
power which, welded by one or two minds
was almost irresistible, and that If this
power was concentrated against Great Brit
ain in trade warfare it would be danger
1t could not afford to disregard. A trust
of many millions might. he said compete
with any trade in England. undersellng all
her products at a considerable loss, and
that this was possible outcome OF the
immediate future. These remarks, coming
from keen observer the outside, will
bear careful attention. 1t is well, at q
time when so much attention is being given
to legislation intended to check and con-
troll combinations, to recollect that, after
all, the concentrations of capital which con-
ditfons have rendered familiar in the
United States represent to our competitors
instruments of tremendous power in the
struggle for the worlds markets. Legisla-
ton affecting combinations should there
fore, be framed with special care. for 1t.
would be a short-siehted policy, indeed. by
Gripping the energy or effectiveness of such
combinations. to deprive the country in its
competition abroad of a power whose
weight is so clearly and frankly recognized
by men whose opinion. albeit expressed in
apprehension, is entitled to the greatest at
tention.