see and to realize the time when the men of these United States will have such a conception of Brotherhood as to scorn the idea of one man using his fellow man simply for what profit he can squeeze out of him, when we shall come to see that individual good can only be attained through the good will of all, and that an injury to one is the concern of all. I have already intimated that the task of leading in this great work devolves and rests, to a great extent, upon the working people, and I am glad to testify to the noble work already done in this direction by organized labor in this state. It has been owing to the independent character of organized labor that we have secured the little that we have in the way of helpful legislation for the wronged people. I wish I might say that it had been through the help of the churches, but this is not true. 'The sinners are with us; it is the saints that are against us,' bitterly cried Lord Shaftsbury when he was engaged in the struggle to protect the children of England through the factory legislation in parliament, and so it may be said today in this country that progressive legislation to protect children from the factories and sweatshops and to protect life and even property, has been secured by the solidarity of labor organiza The Decline of England's Supremacy. For so many years England has enjoyed the distinction of being the "workshop of the world," that when the tide turned, in response to the laws of nature, the British press has become hysterical. It should be no discredit to England that Germany has learned to build her own ships, or that the United States should learn to export goods to other countries. The London Daily Mail of May 5th thus laments: Three startling events in the industrial world have followed each other in rapid succession. These, taken separately, are sufficiently sensational to awaken the British manufacturer and workman by showing that our trade is quickly vanishing. Grouped together these three events of the past few months constitute an alarming illustration of a great nation's industry on the point of collapse. First came the purchase of fifty locomotives by English railway companies from America. Then followed the Atbara Bridge, bought by the Egyptian Government from America. Now comes the construction of the swiftest and almost the largest ship in the world in a German shipyard. HERCULES AND PALLAS OPENING THE DOOR TO THE GENIUS OF PEACE. Allegoric design in the "House in the Woods," where the Peace Conference is being held. on March 7. The Americans are making thirty locomotives for the Midland Railway, and twenty locomotives for the Great Northern Railway; and the first of these, ordered early in the year, will be running in England before the spring is over. The facts in regard to the Deutschland, the great new ship being built in Germany, are even more startling. Seven years ago, when Germany wanted a good ship, she was obliged to come to England for it, and now she is building bigger and faster steamers than those laid down in the British yards. In 1892 Great Britain launched, in round figures, 1,000,000 tons of shipping for herself, besides 24,000 tons for Germany. In the same year Germany launched 99,000 tons from her own yards, making a total of 123,000 tons against Great Britain's 1,000,000. Last year (1898) we launched practically the same amount of tonnage for ourselves. But the total quantity launched from German yards was 168,000 tons, or nearly double the output of 1892. These figures refer to bulk, but now comes the question of individual ships. How do the German steamers compare with the British? Here again it is only necessary to quote figures from Lloyd's returns, and allow them to tell their own tale: VESSELS OF OVER 10,000 TONS LAUNCHED IN1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1 1 4 VESSELS OF OVER 12,000 TONS LAUNCHED IN Great Britain....... 1 3 3 Turning to another part of the globe, it is a significant fact that the Norddeutscher Lloyd have been running to the East, for some time past, several steamers that entirely overtop the biggest in the P. and O. or the Orient Company's fleets. When the other day, ostensibly for the sake of his dog, Sir West Ridgeway, the Governor of Ceylon, took a passage home in the steamer Barbarossa, may it not be permitted to suppose that the fact of her being one of these four leviathans influenced his decision? At the present time the fastest liner in the world is the N. D. L. Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse. She has held the record for over a year, and no British steamer is yet forthcoming to wrest it from her. Still our Teutonic neighbors are not satisfied. About twelve months ago the keel-plates were laid in the yard of the Vulcan Shipbuilding Company, at Stettin, of the Deutschland, that is to eclipse even the brilliant performances of Kaiser Wilhelm. The Deutschland will be over 16,000 tons gross register (to all practical purposes the size of the forthcoming White Star liner Oceanic), and is guaranteed for a speed approaching twenty-four knots an hour. She should be launched this autumn, and will be completed next spring. Taking as an average £30 per ton as the cost of building modern steel steamers, we get some idea of the millions now remain1897 1898 ing in Germany instead of coming to England. For these steamers are not made of pieces bought in Great Britain and simply fitted together in the Fatherland, as some people believe. On the contrary, they are German from keel-plate to masthead, and German labor is employed on them throughout. Thus Germany, at the present moment, possesses eleven of the biggest and latest class of steamers to Great Britain's five. It is no longer possible to ignore the fact, lamentable as it may appear, that the largest and fastest merchantmen on the ocean highways are no longer British, but Ger man. The practical result of this is, looking at the matter from one point of view alone, that if an Englishman wishes to cross the Atlantic in the least time, he is obliged to sail under a foreign flag. Talking of Atlantic services, the Norddeutscher Lloyd alone carry more passengers across annually than any two British lines; and further, the two chief German steamship companies have practically the monopoly of a profitable and growing traffic between the Mediterranean and New York. Till lately the Atlantic record had always been held by Great Britian. About twelve months back, when the Germans quietly took it out of our hands, little was thought of the matter, the general idea being that a British ship would soon go one better. But it was misplaced confidence. The Germans not only hold the Atlantic record, but will keep it for some years to come, if not for good and all. It would take a couple of years or so to build a ship to beat the Deutschland were the keel laid tomorrow; but no such steamer will be commenced, nor has even yet been talked about. Petition from Puerto Rico. It seems that the Puerto Ricans are not so well contented under American as under Spanish rule, on account of the tariff laws of the United States, which are enacted for the benefit of American manufacturers. The Washington correspondent of the Philadelphia Public Ledger sends that paper the following information: Senors J. Julio Henna and Manuel Zeno Gandia, Commissioners from Puerto Rico to the United States, have presented a second memorial to the President, asking the following conces sions: First, the cessation of military government and the establishment of civil rule in the island. Second, the establishment of absolute free trade between Puerto Rico and the United States. Third, the reduction of American troops and the enlistment of Puerto Ricans. Fourth, the right of American citizenship in the island. On the subject of military control, the Commissioners make the point that "the subject of reforming the Puerto Rican system does not properly belong to the army officers who now control Puerto Ricans, or the War Department but to the Puerto Rican people themselves." In contending for free trade relations with the United States, they assert that, economically speaking, the people were better off under Spanish rule than under the present military control by the United States, and adds that Puerto Rico has done nothing to deserve to be forbidden admission to the American markets, or to be starved to death through high duties under the tariff promulgated by the War Depart ment." They also assert that "neither Cuba nor Puerto Rico will ever be able to make a step in the road of true progress and happiness as long as a custom house stands upon their soil." A Rare Old Paper. A reprint of a copy of the Ulster County Gazette has been received from the publisher. This paper was originally printed at Kingston, N. Y., January 4, 1800, and contains much that is novel and interesting. That which adds especial value to the reprint is the notices of the death and burial of George Washington. The proceedings in Congress relative to the nation's loss are published, also a special report from Georgetown, D. C., in which an account of the funeral is given. The formality of conducting business between Congress and the President at that time is shown in this paper. It would seem that much time was consumed in the interchange of nonsensical "addresses" between these two branches of the Government. The news from Europe is reported at length, nearly all of which is taken from London newsdapers, issued a month previous, and brought by sailing vessels to New York. Detailed accounts of the battles fought between the allied armies and the French near Zurich, Switzerland, are given. report shows the French to have been victorious, while another says: One And then comes a later report, a special letter" from his Royal Highness, the Arch-Duke Charles" from "Headquarters, Denabercbinger, Oct. 7, 1799," which was "received by the British packet Princess Charlotte, from Falmouth," in which the defeat of the Allies is confirmed. The advertisements in this old paper are a study; for instance, the following poetic appeal for business by a merchant at "Warsink : " Luther Andres & Co. have this day, Second Notice OF my wife HANNAH is hereby given, from harboring or keeping her, and forbidding all persons whatever, from trusting her on my account, as I am determined to pay no debts of her contracting. MATYS VAN STEENBERGH, Saugertiesi (Kingston precinct) Nov. 18, 1799. It is said that " where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise." This being true, the following "ad" will perhaps diminish the " bliss" of those good people of the Northern States who shudder at the thought of slavery "in Been opening GOODS both fresh and gay the South," and are glad that they are HE has receiv'd near every kind, That you in any Store can find, I would not live to rouse your passions, The following articles will be received in payment. Wheat, Rye, Buckwheat, Oats, Corn, Butter, Flax, Ashes, and Raw Hides. These articles will be taken It is a question, after reading the in at the Esopus prices. CASH will not above "ad.," whether John Schoon be refused. Warsink, Dec. 24, 1799. maker offered "a stout, healthy, active negro wench" for sale, or whether she and the inexhaustible quantity of pinewood" were" by the mill.” The citizens of Rochester perhaps will not take any especial delight in the knowlhundred years ago. The following ad- edge that their city was once a slave Sheriff's sales occupy a great part of the advertising columns, which would Indicate that "times were " hard" vertisement shows that there were family jars among the good old Dutch families of that period, as well as of these later days; market. A copy of this interesting reprint can be secured by sending ten cents to the publisher, Miss Jennie Schnebly, Sandwich, I!!, |