Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1908-02-23
Ambassador Delivers Address to the
Chamber Of Commerce.
ECONOMIC STRENGTH G
GREAT
National Income is Over Seven Billion
Dollars Annually.
WATERWAYS HELP SWELL TOTALS
Exports Four and Half Times Greater
Now Than I'm 1sT2-Manufac-
tuPed Goods Amount to
TwO-Thirds.

TAMPA, Fla, Feb 22.-The German am
bassador to the United States, Baron Speck
Won Sternburg, delivered an address to-
day before the Tampa Chamber of Com
merce on "Germany's Economic Strength"
In which he said
You have asked me to say a word on
the national finances OF Germany.
gladly respond to your request because the
two countries are developing such an enor-
nous trade between each other.
Until the eos of the nineteenth century,
and in some instances even later, Ger
many's economic condition was regarded
as poor" Today the world knows better
The economic condition of a country which
in spite of the increased cost of living is
able at the present day to support G., 900, 900
people on the same territory-that Is, d..
100000 more than in 1Sl6-and to dispose of
an annual increase of almost 100000 souls
without being deranged, cannot be said to
be poor" On the contrary, 1t must be
affluent and, furthermore, its prosperity
must be erected upon so sound a basis
that 1t amply assures increasing productive
ness.
National Economic Wealth.
Recent statistics estimate the national
economic wealth of Germany at 5000 OOO.-
900 and the national income at over $780,
0OlW0 Annually nearly 81 000000,0OO are
capitalized. FROM 1897 to 1906 German Sc
cuiities valued at $500 goo, ,0O0Sl ,066 OOO, ,O0)
of these for banking and industrial houses
and $5,O0,0O0,0O0 of foreign securities to-
gether with 81, 800, OO0OOO, were admitted to
average of almost $l,200,000,OO0 annually
which amply allows for fluctuations in
value an annual average of S2S0,oOO,OO0, a
pretty large sum. The total amount of Sc
curities owned by Germany are estimated
at about $500. 100000 of which in ro0nd
figures SSOO,O0OOOO are represented by for
elgn paper.
German bank notes in circulation at the
end of 1901 amounted to $46O.OOO. .OOO0 0OO more
than twice the amount of thirty years be-
fore. The larger German banks have al
most quadrupled their working capital
their own and their deposltors-from 1888
10 1906, thereby passing the $500 600 900
1900 to 1904 have received deposits to the
amount of almost $714, COO 600 making a
total capital at the end of 1904 of S2,0S5 00O,-
900 in round figures.
Interests in Foreign Undertaking.
Germany's interests in foreign economic
Undertakings are represented by about
NOl4OOO,000 to $500, O,00J 600, so that the In
come derived therefroin case e us regular
import surplus OF 1857 100000 % 49, go
German export commerce In 1906 amounted
TO $500, 100000, thus exceeding by far that
of North America, Belgium and France and
approximating the British within 81 2O0,-
GOO in round figures.
The situation r. ative to the worlds
traffic on the higl .eas is sufficiently ia
Eorable TO greatly further and advance
German economic conditions, If the proper
amount of labor and capital is expended
Inc Inc German merchantmen fleet has in
In 1875 to 100000 tons in 1907. In round
1igures, 100000 tons of these are steam
ship tonnage-about eleven times the
amount of 1875. Great Britain only OUT
strips these figures, taking the vessels for
transatlantic traffic as basis.
The German merchantmen fleet is esti-
mated TO be worth about S23S, 900 600; the
harbor equipment of the most important
geucally carried on are estimated at over
S26l'000O0. Germany's traffic on the ocean
Is outranked only by the British and North
American. Hambug harbor has a foreign
traffic amounting to $500, 900 tons net, in
round figures, and ranks with the most inn
portant of the world.
The favorably located natural WATERWAYS
or Germany have been improved and sup
plemented at great expenditure of money.
OF internal waterways, of which almost all
are suited 70 large vessels; 5000 vessels
used for internal navigation only, repre-
senting carrying capacity of 1900 600 meter
tons-three times as much as in 1SS2-use
these waterways and aggregate annually
l2,OOO,0Oo,O 600 tons kilometer, in round figures.
Ihere Is materially greater number of
larger vessels.
The COuntry's Markets.
After citing the resources Of Germany, the
baron concluded:
In every direction, barring a few excep-
tions, conspicuous and permanent progress
Germany has advanced to the very front
OF productive countries In connection here
with, almost two and one-half times as
much raw material in value is imported,
and almost four and one-half times as many
manufactured goods are exported as in 1872.
In 1872 of the goods exported "a were
manufactured goods; now 2-3 are manu-
featured goods.
The total production of wealth, accord
Ing to the latest estimates represents
enormous sums. Agricultural productions
are estimated at So COO, 900 600 annually
gross Isl, $50, 900 net, or 5000, 100000 in
cluding the forestry a gricultural products);
the Industrial productions are figured at
$500 10000 gross per annum. APPROX
mately four-fifths of this output is disposed
OF on the internal market. Consequently
the German economic system ranks among
the most efficient of the world, agricui-
turally as we'll as industrally. IL Is in
splendid condition and its prosperity rests