The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1906-04-19
r. Germany's Progress. -

unless they were similarly prepared,
and possessed good knowledge of the
habits, politics, requirements, peculiar
tiles and financial standing of those
foreign people. Germany never spent
q cent for junketing tours of politi.
clans, but she has spent millions in
educating and sending specially
agents to all parts of the
world to study the particularities men,
toned. How we'll this wise policy has
paid itself, is shown by the constant
increase of German trade everywhere.
One of the most essential parts for
the profitable conducting of foreign
trade consists in the carrying of mer-
chandise in home bottoms, and this led
to the creation of gigantic German
merchant marine. The first few steam
ers were built in England. Now
Germany has six great ship yards, one
of which, the "Vulcan" at Stettin, is
one of the largest and best equipped
in the world. The two great German
lines alone now have feet of
over two hundred and twenty ocean
steamers, carrying the German flag to
all large ports of the world. Only three Of
these steamers receive a small subsidy
from the government, as the latter
wants them to run to certain of her
colonies at which these steamers other
wise would not stop because of lack
of business there. The two lines
lboth private concerns) do a great bust
ness, greater than any other line in
the world, which is proved by the
handsome dividends they are enabled
to pay to their stockholders. The
steamers are all up to date, provided
with the most modern appliances, and
all are built in conformity with the
requirements of the German navy, sc
that, in case of emergency, they can be
used as auxiliary cruisers. As every
body knows that not only the -four
fastest, but also the largest ocear
liners belong to these two companies
and also that they have been built ir
German yards, there is no need of Civ
ing further particulars.
No nation can supplant another
nation in commercial field, if she ii
not able to supply either better, o.
cheaper goods, or both. Goods "mad'
in Germany" whether these words ar
stamped on them or not, can be found il
all parts of the world. Sometimes the,
are not better than other like goods
and sometimes they are not cheaper
but they are either one or the other, o
both; otherwise they would not b
there. To produce goods of either o
these qualities-that is the highest az
piration of the modern manufacture
Cheap labor alone will not produc
}, them. To educate the workman, th
mechanic, in the thoroughness an
perfection of his trade, to induce hir
to use his brains while working, {
!. teach him the best use of machiner
and other helpful applisnces-that ha
been the chief aim of the German gol
ernment and Of the great industri,
, corporations in Germany. That cou,
: try has over nine thousand night an
Sunday schools in which the youn
apprentices and the journeymen ca
perfect themselves in the theory an
in the higher branches Of their trad
l As every young person in Germany hi
. been rlgidly held to q regular atten'
D ance at school from his sixth to b
completed fourteenth year, q fund
9 mental education has been laid befo
he becomes apprenticed, and b
: trendered him susceptible to the infusit
Z Of the more complicated studies of b
trade. The master-mind in all factc
/ les, the manager or foreman, is,
, lcourse, chosen solely In regard to b
: instructive, inventive and executi
o abilities, and all of these men mu
d possess q thorough practical and the
= retical knowledge Of their respecti
u line. That this kind Of education b
l. brought the BEST possible results
0, Germany, is universally yacknowledge
,s They do not draw superficial wisdc