New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-09-19

ufacturers. who have supplied the bulk of the
information Of this letter. tell me that when
they invite proposals for material or castings
the prices submitted are invariably the same
The great industries completely under the
control Of trusts and combinations. and in Conse
quence Of hard times and OF the increasing
force Of American competition the battalion or
ganization has been perfected in detail. The re
vival Of the textile trades which is of the
most encouraging signs OF industrial recovery
IS due in large measure TO combinations Of man
ufacturers: and the coal. coke. iron and steel
industries are organized Hike army for a cam
paisn. Americans invariably find Germans
worthy of their steel when they enter the lists
against them for the control of European mar
kets: Yet those whom l have been consulting
here are sanguine that the battle can be Won
One OF the leading representatives. of electrical
interests in the United States asserts that the
superiority Of American mechanism is virtually
unchalIenged and that competition with il must
ultimately fail. Another American has quoted
German. British and American prices for cast
ings steel rings and other manufactures and
proved from his own books the superior economy
of ordering goods and material from the United
States.
In a great battle-ground like Germany the
United States REQUIRES the services Of an expert
intelligence department. Consul General Mason
does not make the mistake of interfering with
the activities Of the consulates in his districts
Instead of absorbing information from them he
encourages them 10 make independent invesit-
cations and reports: and he sets them an eN-
ample by managing his own office in Berlin with
exceptional efficiency and by supplying the mer-
chants of the United States with we'll digested
information respecting the industrial situation
in Germany. He enormously increases his own
Ia t,ors bv his expert knowledge and literary bill
ity-for his reports are so clear and so interest
ing that he exposes himself 10 an immense body
OF correspondence ON the United States. 1t
is the work Of men like Consul General Mason
that converts the American consular service into
an Intelligence department of great efficiency
for determining the issue of the worlds most
rnomentous confiict-the modern battle for
market Every American industry has accurate
and comprehensive information from Berlin re-
specting commercial conditions and opportuni
ties in Germany. What is needed is practical
enterprise in opening wholesale houses and
storage places where machinery and stock
can be held for immediate delivery. The
overdeveloped cement industry is perhaps the
last one in Germany for which new machinery
is required; yet n American manufacturing in
terest has established its headquarters here for
Europe, and is prepared 70 supply at twenty
four hours notice grinding machines of the most
scientific pattern, whereas months would pass
before orders for German mechanism could be
filled Energy of this kind speedily makes itself
felt The best intelligence department in the
world is of little value in military warfare UNI
less the skrmishng line be held in force by
trained scouts; and 1t is also in the battle
for a market for which the progressive nations
are now arIning themselves, with the heavy
tilIery of organized industries and combined cap
ital behind them !. y. T.