Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1901-08-29

nesburg's stores trying to discover to
what extent English trade will
benefit by our new acquisition. If the
truth be told, the prospect is by no
means an encouraging one. That the
mines will be ours-or rather that the
country in which the gold fields are
situated will be under British rule
may be taken for granted. That
these large corporations will for
years contribute fair share
toward defraying the cost of the war
is also within reason. but beyond the
direct income for this source it is
difficult to see in what manner Eng
land is to benefit commercially if the
existing business modes obtain IN
the future and If the schemes that are
now on foot in America and elsewhere
go through.
For be it known commercial
America is making a big bid for the
Rand, and commercial America IS
being aided and abetted in its plans
by a pathetic, WORKOUT, vitiated COM
mercial England. Nor is this trade
grabbing the most serious aspect of
Americas attempt to secure by hustle
and dollar that which we have earned
with bullet and fever. America,
said a we'll known johannesburg
stock broker to me the other evening,
lis going to have considerable say III
eventual development of the Rand
AS it is, very few people are aware of
the enormous interests the states
have in Johannesburg. Yes, | know
it has been denied and thai very few
of the leading Wall street spectators
have large holdings of Kaffir scrip,
but there are many very wealthy
houses in America that never, or, at
any rate, seldom ever gamble, who
are steadily buying up shares when
ever the opportunity offers. OF
course it isn't their game to come in
with rush and send up the prices,
but the buying goes on none the less.
AS it is, most of the machinery used
on the Rand halls from the other side,
and the reason for this is not far TO
seek.
If you consult list of the mines
on the Rand, and, for that matter,
throughout south Africa, you will find
that in almost every instance the
chief engineer is an American, and as
Americans of all classes, be they
chief engineers or trolley men, have
unmistakable belief in the supremacy
of home manufactures over all foreign
4 ly,, hi -
pect them to favor any other than
those from the land of Old Glory.
This favoritism has already been so
marked as to attract attention, and
with the added incentive Of sym
pathetic directors and the concordant
votes of shareholders the American
engineer will have it pretty well all
his own way, to the detriment of the
unfortunate English manufacturer.
Another thing" said my stock
brobing friend, that is alarming is
the prospect of consolidation. l had
letter from a man in New York only
last week telling me that there is
movement ON foot to capture all the
poorer mines and the deeps and pool
them-yes, trust Ca trust Is the
Yankee idea of commercial peTfec-
tom. 1t wouldn't be a very big thing
in the way of trusts, but it would
open up tremendous possibilities.
The amalgamation Of the diamond
mines of Kimberley had as much an
appearance of impossibility as big
GOLD nom bina barn
DESTROYS of discovering whether
Americas pushfulness was being
directed solely toward the mining in
dustry, strolled round town, visiting
several of the big business houses.
The first firm was of the Peter Robin.
son class and the manager was EN-.
phatic. Where do we get our goods
from? America, France. Germany
and England. The better class Of
soft goods comes from England, but
France and Germany run her very
close America isn't able to compete
with English manufacturers in that
line, but in a year or two I've no
doubt she will As to hardware. that
mostly all comes from America.
Why? Well it is cheaper, in the
first place-both the initial cost and
the shipment. Then, again, the stuff
is good. the orders are promptly
complied with and accurately carried
out"
Another manager told the same
story: American shippers are
prompt, courteous and obliging.
They are sending up boots now that
compare very favorably with the best
Leicester or Vienna ever exported"
And again: English houses are so
unobliging; they make certain things
in a certain way. whether the require
n tnts of the customer are suited Or
Lot. A traveller representing a we'll
known English firm called with some
samples. There was a dressing bag
that took my fancy but in place Of
the brass fittings | wanted nickel.
Do you think he would take my
order? Not a bit He was very
sorry. but that was the class Of goods
al -