The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1877-08-28

most skilled Geneva watch-makers were
sought for at high wages-high, that is,
for Switzerland but low for America
and the world looked for splendid sue
cess. But the beautiful building Is now
let out In lodgings, and the machines
are advertised for sale. Evidently the
secret of American success lay in some
thing else.
have followed the conjectures and
proposals of Swiss newspapers on this
point with great interest. They demand
patent laws for the encouragement of
invention, schools of technical instruc-
tlon for artisans, relief from Interrupt
tlon of work by militia service, and 9TH
er governmental palliatives; but they
do not touch the main point of the su-
perlority of the American manufacto-
ries, and that is the personal superiority
of the american aUorkn,en.
The secret is revealed in an extraor-
dinary pamphlet by M. Bally, whom we
have already quoted, and who is the
proprietor of the great boot and shoe
factory at Schonenwerth, in German
Switzerland. The pamphlet is printed
both in German and in French, and has
made q profund impression abroad. 1t
gives, will not say the impressions, but
the shrewd and careful observations, of
q practical man on his visit to the
United States during the Centennial
year. The title is sensational--G -Garde q
Vous (''Look out for Yourselves''--
but the matter of it is solid.
Our travellers first wonder in Ameri-
ca is to see hoW much is made of q man,
in a business point of view. He gets
into stage on Broadway, " the most
crowded thoroughfare in the world,''
and is struck by the contrivance of fare
box and door strap, which enables one
man to do the business of three on q
Paris line. In horse-car he admires
the bell-punch, which saves the COM
pany the salary of controleur, and does
his work more effectually. On rail
road train he is amazed to find only one
conductor, and nothing of the army of
watchmen who on European roads stand
guard at every curve and crossing. He
recalls the starting of Swiss train
each one of series of conductors cries
successively, Fertig !" then the chef de
train calls, 4" Fort ~ then he whistles
then the bell rings; then the locomo-
tive whistles finally the train starts
In America, the conductor surveys the
whole train. When all is ready, he
makes sign to the engineer, and off
she goes. 1t is the travellers business to
know the time of starting, and If he
gets left once, he is likely to take better
care another time.
All this by way of showing how every
where in America, each mans labor is
made to go as far as possible. You find
the same distinction between the manu-
factories of the Old World and those of
the New. &C In Europe, as business in
creases, the proprietor enlarges his es-
tablishment; in dull times he contracts
it. When competition compels, he i'm
proves his machinery, so far as he is
driven to. If wages are too high, he
moves his concern into the country, or
to some region where manufactures do
not abound. The American pursues
another course. He contrives to in
crease the amount of production. His
question is how to get the utmost out of
his hands and his machinery. He does
not delay improving his tools until he is
driven to it, if the improvement is go
ing to save time and money. If wages
are too high, he compensates himself by
means of improved arrangements. 1t is
not the mere machine that gives the
American his advantage both in quanti-
ty and quality, it is the way he uses it,"
LEONARD BACON, in Harper's Ma9o-
zine for September.