MR C. W. M'MURRAN INTERVIEWED.

Otago Witness, Issue 2520, 2 July 1902, Page 13

MR C. W. M'MURRAN INTERVIEWED.

'ASS AMERICAN ON NEW ZEALAND.

ALSO SOMETHING ABOUT AMERICA

Mr C. W. M'Mnrran, an American journalist, iriio is at present completing an inspection of the South Island of New Zealand ioi the compendium of information for circulation in the United States by commission from the New Zealand Government, was waited upon by a representative of the Otago Daily Times at the Grand Hotel.

Asked regarding his impressions of New Zealand so far as he has travelled,

Mr M'Murran Baid: "I will shortly be leaving New Zealand* and it gives me pleasure to make this statement: My vkit to your shores was first planned but for a three weeks' stay. The fact that I have remained has been solely because New Zealand is far "greater and of infinite more importance^ than I had the remotest idea. It irTiot particular emphasis on the 'I ' in this statement, but that the citizens of the United States have not the remotest idea of ■what this country consists of, nor even what sort of people are its inhabitants. In onje statement I .wish to size up the situation — that when Americans come to know the wonderous climate, the beautiful scenery, the marvels of your wonderland, and the benefits to be derived by tho hot mineral baths, jour go-ahead, enterprising commercial centres, and the charming courtesy s>nd kindly' people who go to make up New Zealand, I am sure American people will flock to your shores. Personally, I have appreciated moet sincerely the courteous treatment I have received here, and shall ever remain, 6O far as my ability goes, a staunch and true friend^of New Zealanders and New Zealand interests. I would like to- have you people understand that in the United States among the American-born people they have been unanimous in their appreciation of the position which Great Britain has been in and the trials you have been undergoing during the recent Boer war. America has sympathised with England in a greater degree, possibly due to the fact that we recognise England's warm and fraternal feeling towards us in our recent conquest with Spain.* Any outbursts of pro-Boerism heard as emanating from America have come from an element which Britiaers have within their own borders, and can even be found in New Zealand. I am sure I am but voicing the sentiment of all loyal Americans that England and the United States to-day are, and even will bo, on the closest and warmest terms of friendship, and that that band is being strengthened continually. It is after all virtually their Motherland. The tune of our own National Anthem is the same as yours of 'God eavo the King.' " Asked regarding what interest America took in the Coronation, Mr M'Murran raid:

According to the Constitution of the United States, the President while in office cannot, leave th« country. President M'Kinlay went to visit President Diaze of Mexico, and met him on a bridge at the border line, but could go no farther. President Rooseveldt has sent as his representative to the Coronation Mr Whitelaw Reid, the millionaire editor and proprietor of the New York Tribune, who will attend the Coronation accompanied by a representative of the army, and also a representative of the navy, together with four secretaries. Mr Reid, while possessing no title, will represent 84 millions of. the Anglo-Saxon race, and in that dazzling representation of all the powers on the earth none will wish his (most gracious Majesty King Edward VII more happiness, peace, and prosperity than •will the United States representative. Peace having been declared, the Coronation over, New Zealand will start on a new era of prosperity emanating from the fact that New Zealand has been advertised through the medium of this war in a manner that nothing else could possibly do. It has thus obtained for itself an international reputation, and, as in the United States, following the declaration of peace between our Government and Spain, a business boom started, so I am sure it will be throughout New Zealand. The men that I find at the head of the Government to-day in New Zealand are the very ablest, brightest, most conscientious, and hard-working men I have met in any of the countries traversed by nie. They are greater men than you people think, or they know themselves to be. It is now a time for all hands to stand together shoulder to shoulder, and leave part.y bickerings alone and make money. I consider that Mr Seddon going to the Coronation and attending the- conference of the Premiers haa" done a great deal to unite New_ Zealanders, and will be the means of bringing much financial- benefit to the colonies. Sir Joseph Ward, at the head of his numerous departments, is as able a man as I have met even in the United States in governmental matters. I think that Sir Joseph Ward, together with the heads of the different departments and Cabinet officers, are hard-working, conscientious men, doing everything that they possibly can to uphold and build up this Empire, which is bound to attract the attention of the outside world. The young men of the day have a great" future ahead of them in this happy country. 1 say this with a great deal of meaning, that possibly would not be known to New Zealanders if I did not further explain its tfull import._ While peace has been declared, and there is hardly, outside the Philippino struggle, any war throughout the world, there is coming over the United States and Great Britain a struggle the like of which no cne living has ever seen. The United (States and Great Britain are virtually in partnership. The bonds that exist on national aspiration are not what I am referring to. I am talking now about the almighty dollar and its power and the struggle to obtain supremacy and monopoly. The mighty arms of the trusts which have

• President Roosevelt of the United States as really a war President, as he led the iamous charge up the San Juan's Hill, and Jknowa fully well the great blessings which come to a nation when peace has been declared. Thi9 was fully demonstrated by his Cabling Lord Salisbury when peace was declared between your country and the Boers, And his regard for England was further shown 9by the fact that when England's Ambassador, ihe late Lord Paunceforte, died at Washingion, the President immediately ordered a ■battleship to take his remains to Eng'and, and ordered out 1500 United States regular troops for his funeral service—* mark of respect which has never before been shown by the United

emaciated from the United States are reaching out. The Ehipping interests in England coming into the trusts have opened the eyes of New Zealanders, and I hear many looking at the matter as if the steamships were now owned by Americans. I wish to t>ay that this is not the true import of the deal. Britishers, while they have parted with their several companies' names, will own the bonds and stocks in the trust that has absorbed the steamboat lines. Regarding adverse opinions on J. Pierpont Morgan, I wish to say that Mr Morgan is the recognised and most conspicuous and able financier the world has ever produced. He is the most powerful financial man on the face of the earth to-day. But Mr Morgan is not seen. He does not go about seeking to organise trusts. Some Britisher or some American, active and influential man, has started this combination by securing a majority of the stock-holders who were willing to part with their stock for a certain consideration, which has been very largely in advance of the ruling market value. Then these steamship companies were each similarly dealt with, and reduced to a minimum statement, and that vas 'brought to Mr Morgan with a request from these parties that he finance the deal. The great banking houses of J. Pierpont Morgan and Company stand so high and have never yet repudiated nor been in ' any questionable deals that the investing public is always willing to deal through this house. The modu3 operandi is that the stock-holders of these several steamship companies would receive a notice from the J. Pierpont Morgan banking house stating the majority of the stockholders of these companies having decided to dispose of their interest, notice is hereby given that on or before a certain date all stock certificates deposited with their house would receive there for a certificate of deposit, and at a certain future date the 6tock thereof would be issued to them in a certain proportion to their holdings, or they could receive so much in cash for their stock. Thus the great house of J. Pierpont Morgan and Company simply act as a clearing house. I personally know that hundreds of v^opo^tions are brought to this big banking house which are absolutely refused, and much is stated in the papers as connected with the name of Mr Morgan of which he knows nothing about.

Regarding this steamship combination, Mr M'Murran eaid it was very largely owned by the United States and England, therefore there was no fear to be aroused on either side. Mr Morgan, he said, was »n honourable, kind-hearted Christian man, and to his friends and those whom he knows he is ever willing to respond and offer assistance. But his generosity is not of the ostentatious character. If he knows of a. worthy case personally it is always attended to ; but as might be expected, a man in his position eees very little of mails sent to him or communications. Mr Morgan is a man who acts very quickly, and his foresight is phenomenal. He is a man of about 6ft in height, full in' frame, well in body, strong in mind, and keen in sight. As a colleague with Mr Morgan there is one other strong factor in the United Stales which, together with Morgan's crowd, as it is often termed, absolutely dominates the financial world. Mr John D. Rockfeiler is that gentleman I refer to, standing at the head of that great and most gigantic of trusts and corporations — the Sandard Oil Company/ The Standard Oil Company controls the product of oil throughout the entire world to begin with. It has its clutches financially on most of all the large corporations throughout the United States. It is reaching out info every country, and trying to obtain control of the dividendpaying institutions. John D. Rookfeller and the Standard Oil Company and J. Pierpont Morgan and his allies could bring about a panic in New York City and the United States any day if they fco desired which would shake the financial world. But I am pleased to assure that Mr Morgan and Mr Rockfeiler are men of high moral and Christian character. Mr Morgan has always come to the assistance of the United States Government and Wall street when there has been a crisis needing financial help. The trust companies and the banks of these two men are the potent factors together with their owning unlimited millions in giving them this power. Their operations and the money they control run into the billionp. We have in the United States such men as Colonel John Jacob Astor, worth 150 millions of money, who is one of God's noblemen, and even though he had all these millions, he took up his position in the ranks as a colonel in the Spanish-American war right at the front, and delivered the papers to the Spanish General for signature in front of both of the armies at the time peace was negotiated for. Andrew Carnegie, with his millions, is a Christian man; and the Goulds, with rll their family millions, are Christian men of the very highest standing. United States Senator William A. Clark, of Bute, Montana, known as the Copper King, is, it is estimated, worth over 200 millions of money, with millions beneath the> ground Bimply waiting to be extraet2cl. Ho is a. man of the clearest intellect, the very shrewdest financier, and one at heait as kind as a child, and with noblo impulses and generosity to those whom he personally knows. The Vanderbilt family, with Cornelius Vancicrbill as the practical head, arc similar in power to the Goulds, and are alao church people.

" But," continued Mr M'Murran, " the fact that these gigantic triuts are grasping out to everything that mortal man needs to wear, use, or consume, and that the poor man and the labouring man are at the other end of this deal, is what is agitating the public mind at the present time." Mr M'Murran said he wished; to assure New Zealanders who might think that all of this state of affairs was bound to bring about trouble between the masses, that the Christian influences and Godly character of these multi-millionaires referred to, who were the backbone and einew of the country, would not permit any great catastrophe to come across the country through any diabolical misuse of their moneyed power. Still, he said, New ZeaJandere had a great deal to be thankful for in the fact that they had their lovely country, enjoying such beautiful climate, and were happy and contented away from all the turmoil and excitement of these moneyed marts of the world, where these gigantic powers were continually clashing, and would continue to have upheavals creating disasters and unrest, and producing discontent and unhappiness among the people.

Speaking of Dunedin, Mr M'Murran said: " I am sure American citizens would be amazed at the business activity of this great commercial centre of New Zealand. When I look on your fine Stock Exchange, and eeo the telephane posts through your streets carrying 160 wiregj and look, uj&a y«w?

cable tramways up ihe hiTls to enable your population to extend, and when I see that you have an electric -trolley line in full operation, as up-to-date as anything of the kind in Jthe world, together with your great warehouses and manufactories, as well as the Roslyn Woollen Mills — which send rugs and worsteds all over the world, — your great shipping industry, and the fine harbour, together with your law courts, university, exceptionally complete and extensive schools, and your churchea that would be a credit to any part of the world, Americans would feel that surely your lines had fallen in pleasant places. I have traversed England, German}', France, Belgium, Switzerland, and across the great American Continent, and I have never yet seen such rosy-cheeked children and women as I have seen here in Dunedin. This is the best evidence probably of your matchless climate."

As an educative feature, Mr M'Murran advocates the sending to the United States of a certain number ofthe illustrated weekly paper 3of the colony, as, he bays, a paprr like the Otago Witness, for example, with its illustrations, goes more to convince the people and educate them as to what New Zealand is than columns of printed matter.