The Washington herald., 1914-05-14
Great Qsestisn Il Fsre;en Trade.


lost awhile -Mr.>Avard LongIey Bishop writes enter
taininsly and most instrucyey on the subject of h
promotion of foreign commerce Mr. Bishop con
tends that the growth of the intercommereiai reia
tons of the nations of the world has been really the
most striking development of modern civilization
and he shows how one nation after the other ha,
been the leader in this respect and has in turn
dropped Of the race or has had to share its lead
ership with other countries
Portugal Spain, Holland, France and England oc.
cupied the first place one after the other England
was the last to enjoy undisputed priacy and the
period of her glory lasted from the latter part of the
eighteenth century until late in the nineteenth At
present England still remains the commercial heart
| of the world, but Germany and the United States
have recently rapidly into the foreground and
of these two the development of Germany has been
the most pronounced The rise of Germany as an in
dustrial and commercial power in less than half a
century is without parallel in history. A small coun-
try without large natural resources Germany has in
creased her foreign trade than $50 per cent in
the last forty years. and it is the rapid commercial
rise of Germany that lies at the bottom of the anti
German agitation in England 4,
With this as an introduction, Mr. Bishop devotes
the body of his article to or less detailed
lation of the means taken by Great Britain, Ger
many and the United States the three leading COM
mercial nations of the world, to enlarge and secure
their foreign commerce at the present time 1t goes
without saying that they keen competitors Of
each other and that they all of them understand that
anything like neglect or carelessness the part of
any one in making this fight for foreign trade can
only lead to disaster In the great majority of
the mere sale of manufactured merchandise is posi-
tive proof that behind that sale there has been in
telligent and persistent effort to secure the market
The English method of trading used to be described
as Nindividualism gone mad" In recent years, how
conditions in this respect have changed Prompt
ed by the organized competition of successful rivals
the English government has come to the rescue. The
board of trade through its intelligence bureau is now
at the continual service of the English business
The establishment of ministry of commerce in Eng
land is probable in the future and there is now
a tremendous movement in the United Kingdom to-
ward the extension of ntercolonal imperial trade
under government auspices
Penny postage for the whole empire an all-Eng-
lish cable route bearing messages at nominal rate
a uniform system of weights and and cur
rency and preferential trade within the empire, all
seem to be developments of the immediate future
British imperial trade commission began working in
1911. and there also created in the same year II
British Imperial Council of Commerce having for its
object the consolidation of the 500 chambers
of commerce. boards of trade, and similar organiza
tons in the empire This amounts in substance to
federation with the actice cooperation of the gen.
eral government of the business organizations of the
countries flying the English flag. a. |
In Germany there was never any ground for the /
of business conduct as that Of n-
gone mad" made by early critics The
business system there as regards foreign trade has
always been one of government paternalism. The
government has been at the head, ever since the
Franco-Prussian war, of thoroughly systematic
search for foreign business. Fifteen years ago a COM
mission was created known the Imperial Con-
ultative Board for the Elaboration of Commercial
Measures The German chancellor appointed half
Vt the thrtytwo members of the board and the great
ierman business associations appointed the other
laf This board has prepared the tariff laws of Ger
many has conducted extensive Investigations for the
xpress purpose of shedding light upon tariff aues-
ions has employed the services of over 1000 technical
xperts in drawing up tariff schedules; has taken an
Elaborate industrial and commercial census of the
ountry, and has accumulated vast quantity of in
ormation necessary for the making of commercial
arfs and for the furtherance of foreign commercial
elations in every way. Some of these experts have
tatonary posts in the leading commercial cities of
he world, such as New York. St. Petersburg Sidney
shanghai Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro etc. The
'erman imperial government prepares and distributes
II sorts of literature beneficial to those interested in
ne export trade Information as to railway freight
ates IN different quarters of the world including any
hanges from time to time, is thus easily available BY
ne German manufacturer; and the most direct and
ractcal instance of the help afforded by the gov
rnment is seen in the reduced freight tariffs on the
'erman railways given to exporting manufacturers.
German manufacturer obtain, roughly speaking,
reduction of one-half the rate on the freight tariff
n goods intended for export
Humiliating as the reflection is, although Mr.
ishop does not visbly indulge in it, If has to be
onfessed that in this great matter of foreign trade
ur own government does almost nothing for its peo-
e Substantially all it has done has been to awaken
recent years TO the necessity for reform in our
'nsular service The consular system has been taken
ut of politics to greater less extent but efficient =
nd experienced consus and ministers are still ousted
hen politics demands and our diplomatic service !.
om the point of view of business man in the !.
nited States, is still the poorest of that of any great
alton. We have Department of Commerce. but it :,
as only to limited degree proved itself promo !.
We force
Larger appropriations by Congress and determi-
alton by the government to make such department .
help to our exporters and manufacturers are i'm :