Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1877-10-04

Recent eVentsunve made Us SEE he Norst
side OF the artisan class. We are perhaps
In danger OF forgetting that there j. b~t-
ter side. II We will only look AZ H. And
We think Il timely to sttend to what is said
OF them by Intelligent strangers The In
ter-nstlonal Exhibition brought TO our
shores men deeply interested IN manufac.
lures. and very anxious 10 study the
methods OF production In this country
They addressed themselves to this inquiry
not merely for the pleasure OF the investi-
CATION. but because they saw American
manufactures IN some departments com
petln2 with those OF Europe aud threaten
Ing to exclude them from The markets OF
the world. Switzerland In particu ar finds
ijs Matchmaking Industry on the verge OF
ruin. Its dairies threatened. Its exports Of
leather To the New World DIV lndled almost
10 nothing, is silk business in similar per
IL. Our markets are supplied by our own
products, In these articles, and every year
our exports TO other markets increase.
These men sought 10 discover the reason
for this nnwelcn nme aspect OF affairs. An
article in recent number of Harpers
Magazine gives an interesting account OF
the views Of the Swiss Commissioners to
the Philadelphia Exhibition, as exhibited
In their report.
Our manufacturing success was at first
suprosed 10 be due TO our use OF labor. saw
ing machinery In operations carried on In
Europe by h2ndwork Ii was supposed
that by Introducing American machinery
there are no patent laws in Switzerland
the tables might be turned. A. labor is 80
much cheaper there. An American compa-
nv tried the experiment, put mp fine
building in Geneva and stocked It with the
bestw at.hmaking machinery But it was a
failure. The building Is now let to dodgers.
and the machinery ia for sale. Evidently
something besides machinery was to he
looked for. One man has found it out--M.
Bally. large boot and shoe manufacturer
At Schoeuenwerth. in German Switzerland
and he has let out the secret in 8 pam
phlet published both In French and Ger
man. which has made great sensation.
Ii Is the PERSONAL superiority Of the Amsri-s
can uorkman.
He notices. first, how much IL made Of
man here. One man in NH American ON
nibus does the work Of three in Europe
One conductor runs aTaiway train that in
Europe would require six. Everywhere.
each mans labor is made to go as far as
possible. He says:
''In Europe, as business increases, the
proprietor enarges his establishment; (; in
dull times he contracts it. When competi-
tion compels, he improves his machinery.
30 far as he is driven TO. II wages are too
high, he moves his concern into the coun-
try. or to ssme region where manufacture
es do not abound The American pursues
another course. He contrives to increase
the amount OF production. His question
is how TO get the utmost out OF his hands
and his machinery. He does not delay i'm
proving his tools until he Is driven to il. II
the Improvement H. going To save time aud
money If wages arc high. he compensstes
himself by means of improved arrange
ments. II is not tin. mere machine that
gives the American his advantage both in
quantity aud In Qu,lity. 1t is the way he
uses it."
NJ Bally goes to . shoe mandatory In
a country town In Massachusetts,. He finds
that live stamping machines furnish all
the soles required tor . maximum 'produc-
ton Of 900 pair day. Al my factory"
be SAYS, lone machine Of the same sort
cannot turn out more than 400 pair Of soleA
= day" Some other observ ations are
worth noting:
with MS. 1t takes not less than an hour
for 4 country shoemaker to finish and pol
ish pair Of common workingmen's shoes.
In this factory the seven different opera
tions that go to this work. are easily des-
patched in ten minutes. The proprietor
complained Of the high rate Of wages. He
could not get hands At less than two dol.
lars day; and so long IS this continued,
he could not think OF doing an export bus
iness. footed up, from his own factoty
books. the amount he was paying by the
piece. and found that was paying double
what he was, and yet my men are always
grumbling. They work with American
machines. and use the same sort Of tools.
but they are far Inferior to the Americans
10 productive capacity. The same remark
has been made BY manufactVrers who
have set up German shoe. factories OF the
American plan. but find that they cannot
succeed with German workmen.'
The difference Is not merely enc Of skill.
There are skiiIful workmen 10 Europe
But there is moral difference:
The tools and machines OF the small
manufacturers are Of such . sort that their
owners are not 80 dependent on their
hands Is they would be among Us. where
one II often unable 70 deliver goods at the