The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-03-26
AnERlcAN INVESTMENTS IN RUSSIA.

. Tro, Aqe .sIn a thousand ways. says
Mr. Ford. 1.-The American investor is
made to rue the day he first thought
of establishing a branch plant in the
; land of the Gar" He adds:
1T would seem as though Russia was
bent upon demonstrating to Americans
how greatly to their financial advan-
tage would be japanese success at arms
in the Far East.
while Japan eagerly offers every in
Iducement to Americans to become in
Ivestors in the Island Kingdom. Russia
lis engaged in bounding from her vast
continent almost the last American en-
Iternrises she has so far allowed to re-
main and flourish"
The Russian plan, as Mr.. Ford relates
it. is simple The manufacturer of loco
motives, air-brakes. agricultural imple-
ments, or sewing machines Go mention
| a few actual examples, having built up
| a trade in Russia, is induced, by
| threats or cajolery, to erect a plant
in Russia; then he is made to discharge
his American workmen and hire Rus
slams, and then his business is so taxed,
hampered. and interfered with that
the American finally sells out in dis
gust, and Russia has acquired new
industry at a low figure. Says Mr..
Ford;
1.-The Government interests itself di
lrectIy in every foreign enterprise, with
view to converting it into a purely
Russian affair; nor are the servants of
the Car particular as to the methods
used From De White down results
have been all that was looked for, Rus
sian officials frankly admitting the
charges of discriminating against
American enterprises, and the Amerl-
cans who have founded machine shops
and factories in Russia are forced to
realize that their progressive methods,
instead of setting a pace, have startled
the Russians to a degree that has
worked the downfall of almost every
Yankee venture in European Russia
Two American firms that are now
having the screws put on them under
this system are the Westinghouse Air
Brake Company and the Singer Sew
ing Machine Company. Mr.. Ford tells
the story of the latter's tribulations in
Russia as follows:
MANY years ago it was that the
Singer Sewing Machine Company. be-
gan their invasion of Russia. Rapidly
the useful American invention found it's
way to even the most remote parts of
the empire. have encountered it in |
far-off Siberia and Manchuria. and even
have a photograph of a Central Asian |
tent-home in which the wives of an |
unruly chief stitch garments for their |
lord and master upon this ingenious |
Yankee machine. 1 have met Jewish |
traders who have carried the American |
sewing-machine by camel caravan far /
into Tibet, from whence returning ma
tive traders report sales even in the
sacred city of Lhassa, where the feet
of no white man have trod for nearly |
century. Such success caused Rus
sian officials to smile upon American
enterprise and suggest a factory on
Russian soil. Now such suggestion in
Russia carries with it the assurance
that if not favorably acted upon import
dues will be levied that will force the
foreign manufacturer to terms. At
present there is a magnificent Singer
sewing machine factory at Moscow, and
almost my first view of the Russian
capital included the one modern office
building in all Russia that the COM
pany are erecting on the Nevsky Pros
pect. All of this display of wealth, it is
needless to say, has excited the cupid
ity of the Cars tax collectors, and,
when it is also taken into considera-
ton that American enterprise in Rus
STA is held largely responsible for the
spread of revolutionary doctrines, it is
not surprising that the reactionists now
in power have organized a campaign
of petty annoyances to either drive the
American company out of Russia or
force them to sell at a sacrifice, either
direct to the paternalist Government or
to some purely Russian company.
Now, all men are not wise in all
things at all tines-fot even Yankee
investors-so it came about that to
curry favor with the Government the
Singer Sewing Machine Company took
the almost fatal step of depositing their
receipts with the Imperial Bank.
Promptly the tax agents demanded of
the state bank access to the accounts
of the American company. The officers
of the Singer Sewing-Machine Company
were officially informed that as they
were depositing large amounts of
money they must pay the Government
larger taxes. In vain the directors
pointed out that the deposits were gross