New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-17

others. located IN Cologne, Frankfort-on- Main
ana Afx-ia-Chapelle, being OF more recent date
Ahese institutions founded to give the young
AAen engaging in commerce and trade a better
sfounolng In the higher technical knowledge. and
more particularly in those spheres of science
that play part in their chosen field are now
beyond the experimental stage. and one may
pEontaoiy discuss them in their aims and
achleVenents. They vary in both At the
LsipSlc fnstitution-which Is at the same time
oioest and of greatest repute. and which shows
a student body OF 395-the aim has been from
iIsl 10 lay particular stress on the scientific
pp ol eoh OF the curriculum. National economy.
,liia1ce ethnoGraphy, modern politics and the
ssno"ledge or transportation facilities have stood
AoleLIoSt on the list For the grasping Of export
trade problems of the more Intricate kind this
course OF studies has been invaluable TO young
men fitting themselves for a career embracing
me extension OF German export trade, and they
nave been found we'll equipped for higher posi-
uons in large houses making speciality of
iarglng their trade with tropical countries The
cologne institution apparently gives no such
thorough training in these higher branches of g
i i merchant princes mental equipment. but
lays greatest emphasis the requirement of
higher technical knowledge OF the practical kind
RMS is also true Of its sister organization at
frankfort. while the situated in Aix-la-
Chapelle is not f1ourshing so far. Cologne has
some III students and Frankfort 121. 1t is
significant that many of the students In these
institutions already graduated from universities
or academies of the higher type before matricu-
latlng anew, for this is sign that in the profess
no room, and hence fell back on less "genteel''
commerce. Whichever way one views the sue
cess of the commercial high schools (and they
must be distinguished from the mere CONNER
cial schools and academies. the latter being of
much lower grade and older standing) they
have one very clear meaning, namely. that the
commercial classes in Germany have recognized
an absence of the broader horizon and of the
thorough scientific training which they deem
absolutely necessary to continue in the German
evolution Of a comparatively unimportant COM
nercial nation into one of the first magnitude.
In other words. the German merchant is putting
his best foot foremost to outrival his chief
petitorS, the Englishman and the American, and
1t Will not be long before the fruits of these
present efforts in the widening and deepening
of commercial knowledge will be felt in the
German competition in every part of the IN
ha bitable globe.
With all that, Germany is not step nearer
In her commercial treaty polity The treaties
now under negotiation with Russia, Austria.
Italy, Rumania and, above all. England and the
United States, seem as far from their conclu-
sion ever. 1t must be owned that the Kaiser
has not had lucky hand in choosing Count
Bulow for Imperial Chancellor The defcien-
cies of his character, his vacillating weakness
and his lack of originality snow glarnsly IN
these times, when the firm hand of a statesman
is needed to read1ust the international CONNER
cial policy OF the empire. Since his coming to
power he has always been the mere tool of his
very we'll as long serious questions de-
manding laborious and patient study, coupled
with fixed purpose and q clear eye. were facing
him. But his diplomatic tricks will not
avail. The hollowness of tie man shows. And
the Kaiser, aside from his illness, neither pos
sesses the required knowledge or patience nor
the persistent interest IN these dry problems OF
trade which would be required to bring the in
trcate situation to happy issue Thus things
merely drag on and the end OF it all cannot
even be foreseen.