The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-12

Indeed. English capital has already secured
the lions snare of the newest railway enter
prise in Cuba and large slice of the Cuban
tobacco manufacturing interests
The foreign trade OF Cuba, the tables
show has already nearly recovered from
the injury done TO il by the recent war. Her
trade with the United States has increased
in about a proper proportion, but mainly in
her exports to this country, and not in her
imports from the United States. The latter,
indeed, show diminution Of about 10000
In the last fiscal year, as compared with
1902. or nearly - per cent. while the Cuban
imports from the leading European coun-
tries generally show slight increases. This
is unsatisfactory feature, which appears
mysterious IL is unfortunate. anu
which will doubtless be carefully considercd
by the business community OF this country
with view TO its correction.
XXX
French merchants and exporters have
also awakened to the possibilities OF trade
in the East They have adopted a unique
scheme for acquainting themselves with
local conditions and for advertising their
particular lines OF goods. representative
body of French exporters have chartered
steamer and on the 18th of this month they
will make a voyage touching at many OF
the principal business points I'm the Orient.
Arrangements have been made at each port
for brokers, chosen by the several cham
bers of commerce, for each line Of trade. re-
spectively, to meet the ship on arrival and
enable the visitors 10 acquaint themselves
with the needs of the market by personal
inspection.
The cruise is to be personally conducted
by representative of the Ottoman I'M
perial Bank of Constantinople, who, dur
ing the course OF the voyage, Will deliver
an address on the economic conditions or
the Ottoman empire and the Turkish bust
ness system. The prospective excursion
has attracted much attention throughout
the whole of industrial France and Is
treated OF at length I'm all the trade jour
mails. The party includes representatives
In nearly every principal line of goods
manufactured In France
The famous economist Sauerbeck has
just published the result OF his investiga-
tons as to the average price of the forty
five commodities generally used in sustain
ing life in civilized communities and the
results of his investigation show that there
has been a decided drop in the cost of liv-
ing In the last twenty-five years. In fact,
this decrease amounts TO about Is per cent
The prices current during the past fiscal
year. however, are slightly higher than
those of the year preceding, the decrease
applying to the twenty-five-year period
The French government has recently pub
lished some very interesting facts and fig
ures concerning inheritances in France in
1902. The report merits attention because
French people and because IL shows the re-
suits of two reform measures which have
changed the methods followed for many
years past. One of these provides that in
every disposition of property the real es-
tate shall be set apart by itself and the
personal property shall be subject to the
inheritance tax. The other creates stand
ard or scale upon which the tax shall be
based The purpose of this legislation was
to protect the people inheriting the small
amounts that so often represent an element
of personal labor and again modest ex-
istence, letting the burden fall upon people
inheriting large amounts.
During the past year there were $4,000
inheritances amounting TO over Sl.vco.Oo.cp.
Two hundred and thirteen thousand or
these inheritances did not exceed $780, and
amounted all together to less than $1,000
GOO. The list Of moderate fortunes shows
total of 1854 inheritances. among which
only twenty-seven Appropriated H,0o,0J.
OF the S33 000.000,00O that constitutes the
wealth of the French nation nearly $1,000
100000 belongs TO the people of the middle
classes, who constitute less than one-fifth
of the population.
The results of the Moseley industrial COM
mission sent to the United States from
England to investigate conditions have
been published in great many different
forms and distributed among the working
men of England. The general conclusions
effect that Americas superiority was based
first of all upon the abundance and variety
of its natural resources. Secondly, upon the
size or extent OF its own market, whose
demands are mostly supplied by American
farmers and manufacturers, who. I'm some
cases, are the only parties offering for sale,
and for which the Industrial leaders have
worked almost exclusively up TO the pres
ent time. Finally, the American 'aanufac-
turers have been wise enough to make
marvellous use OF machinery, and in ali
these efforts they have had the decided sup
The Englishmen reached the conclusion
that it was towards this judicious utiliza-
ton of machinery that the English indus
tries should direct and extend all their
efforts They decided, however, that the
English working class had a higher eco
nomic value than the American working
class las matter of fact" says one or
the delegates, the British employer has
more TO learn I'm America than has the Brit
ism workman Another delegate says:
The English workman has nothing to
learn in America, but IL Is far otherwise
with the employers. i do not pretend 10
say that we are superior TO the Americans
in all lines, but do say this, that In the
markets Of the world we will not be beaten
when IL comes to good, solid work, well
treat labor fairly they will have nothing to
fear from American or other comeptitors.
for high wages benefit the employer as
much as they do the laborer. The Amer
is the secret OF their success"
One of the predictions made by the late
Kirk Armour in talking OF the future OF
the foreign meat trade of the United States
was to the effect that Argentina would in
time prove a formidable competitor. Re
cent information from that country would
seem to uphold Mr.. Armour's contention.
for il is shown that extraordinary progress
has been made In recent years in Argentina
in the production and export OF beef and
mutton, whereas in 1895 IL was difficult 10
get 10000 steers in all Argentina that were
hit for the British market. The outpus
since then has increased by 10000 head per
annum and last year il reached a total OF
0000 head.
Argentinas export of beef and mutton
will continue to increase rapidly. IL is not
unreasonable to believe, with the informa-
ton now available as TO live stock Te-
sources of that country. that by the end
of the present decade Argentina will DO
able to export to the European market no
less than 100000 hundredweights OF beef
and 100000 hundredweights OF mutton.
The resources of Argentina are practically
unlimited and they have been immeas-
urably developed in recent years by the
wholesale laying down OF Argentine lands
TO alfalfa. which enriches the land with
nitrogen accumulated from the atmosphere
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