The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-21
CONDITIONS in ENGLAND
THE BRITISHERS ARE In THE
THROES OF "YANKOMANIA.'
whiting Allen, Who Has Spent Much
Time i'm that Country, Talks Of
the Present Situation.


litical writer for the New York. Chicago
and Philadelphia press, is in the city. MT.
Allen has been for a number of years a
member Of the executive staff of Barnum
& Baiiey's show, and returned to this
country from England only three weeks
ago. Commenting upon the designations
from the English Cabinet, he said last
night:
Prior to my return to this country 1
met the five chief officials of nearly every
large town and city in England. l mingled
with them for five months and have heard
hundreds of them discuss the political af-
fairs OF their country. 1 think L can throw
such light on the situation over there that
it may be clearly understood. In time
Americans will learn how closely their own
interests are affected by the political con-
ditions there.
''At the present moment, as every visitor
to England the past year may attest, Eng
land is in the throes of 'Yankomania.
There is the most intense admiration of
everything American. In nearly every shop
window have seen signs displayed declar-
ing that they are selling some kind of
American goods. Nearly every chemist
shop, as they call 1t, has a sign over the
door, American Drug Store American
proprietary medicines and particularly
American toilet articles have displaced
those of the English and French in Eng
land. Nearly every shoe store in England
is called American Shoe Store whether IT
is or not. The second year the Barnum &
Bailey show was in England there were
5000 pairs of American-made shoes sold
there. Last year there were over 100000
pairs of American shoes sold in England,
and the statistics for this year will be even
more astounding when they are issued by
the government. 1t is the ambition of every
clerk and office man In England TO write
upon an American roll top desk and thou
sands of them are in use. AT Birmingham,
the great furniture center of England, all
the machinery used in the making of furni-
ture is American. One machine shop at
Birmingham put in a plant of American
roll top desks and thousands of springs
that cost them over $lO0,U0J. In every city
and town in Great Britain you may see
American sewing machines, typewriters,
pianos, monographs, and you may buy
American raZors even in Sheffield. Every
dentist must place the word American over
his door IL he wants to secure a practice.
American artists are the top-liners in every
music hall in Great Britain, while no less
than a dozen of the principal theaters in
London will be managed by an American
this season, and no less than a score of
American plays will be presented upon the
London stage during the season just begin
ming.
The most popular play during the past
season has been dramatization OF Booth
Tarkington'S Monsieur Beaucaire."
AN AMERICAN MAGAZINE.
lone American magazine of a popular
variety is outselling any half dozen of the
English magazines at an advance of 2 cents
Il
home, while another OF the higher class. is
acknowledged to be without rival in Eng
land, and has a monopoly there of it's class.
Americans are building and equipping all
the English street-car lines; American arch
itects and contractors are amazing the Eng
lish people with the rapidity with which
they are building the new hotels and bust
ness buildings Of London. There is no
longer prejudice against American meat and
foodstuffs generally, and some of them
command higher prices than the native
produce.
These are the things that have stirred
the statesmen of England, headed by Jo-
seph Chamberlain, with his American wife,
to action. They are at the bottom of the
fiscal policy inquiry that is now in progress
in England. And it is these things that
have caused the English people who only
a few months ago rejected with scorn MIR.
Chamberlain'S proposition to abandon the
English idea of free trade for the American
idea of protection to completely change
their position, with the almost absolute GER
tainty of Chamberlain's triumph in the end,
and it may be no unwise prophet who will
predict that the increased price of English
goods which protection will bring will en-
able America to continue in her glorious
conquest of the markets OF the world. aided
by her illimitably superior natural advan-
tages. until she will be in absolute DOM
This idea is further confirmed by cable
grams in last Wednesdays papers, which
OF England, who is the real head of the gov
eminent, has issued large pamphlet urging
England to adopt protection, and stating
that the pamphlet is preliminary to a series
of speeches upon the same subject he in
tends to deliver. There is not the slightest
doubt in my mind that If America were TO
suddenly adopt free trade the idea of pro-
lection would be dropped as quickly as IL
has been taken UP, for / heard literally
hundreds of English business and public
men declare that the American child was
wiser than the English father, and with
the example of American prosperity before
them they say that they are wise in follow
ing Americas lead in practically every
thing. They do not take into account the
most important fact that their only resource
is their labor, and that America has not
only the labor. but the more important item
of natural products. One very prominent
parliamentarian and former member of
the English Cabinet asked me in helpless
sort of manner, after i had reminded him
of our superiority in possessing both labor
derful Americans going to let us have? That
is about our position, as / see IL. We are
very largely at your mercy. To such an
inquiry could make no reply, except that
far wiser Americans than L would not VEN
ture upon more than mere speculative an
swer.
KING IN SYMPATHY.
'Mr Chamberlains resignation, together
with those of Secretaries Ritchie and Lord
George Hamilton, and their ready accept
ance by King Edward. shows clearly that
they had been previously discussed by his
Majesty, and indicate clearly to my mind,
that he is in sympathy with the movement
toward protection. If once the people think
the King wants protection it will come,
for no English monarch has ever COM
manded greater confidence among his SUBJ
| jects. 1 have head many eminent English
men of all parties declare that Mr.. Cham
berlain was undoubtedly Engand's great
| est statesman. while next in ability was
| the King himself.
II make no doubt Mr.. Chamberlain in
| tends to force the issue at an early election
instead of waiting two years, as at first in
tended. The designations of Secretaries
| Richie and Lord George Hamilton fol-
| lowed so closely by those of Lord Balfour
| of Burleigh, and Mr.. Elliott are most sig
nificant.
For several weeks after Mr.. Chamber
| lain proposed the fiscal inquiry he stood
| alone Even Mr.. Balfour would not COM
| nit himself for or against the idea. but
| has declared himself at last. while the i'm
] portant chancellor of the exchequer has
1 done the same thing. Lord Balfour is a
| cousin OF the premier, while Lord George