The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-12-05
AnERIcAX MAXurACTuREs.
unexpectedly of some orrhem 10 Euro.
pcan Articles.

|
Washington Post. 6a
One OF the POst's minions presented
himself the other day before Mr.. B. W,
Pond, principal examiner Of civil engi'
neering in the United States Patent Office
and asked him for some OF the data he had
employed in lecture to show that Amer
lea already surpassed Europe in the man
ufacture OF staple goods.
"What American manufacturers are su-
pcrior TO those in EuropeT
al am not sure that can give you the
whole list, but among the more important
ones it may safely be said that American
watches, boots and shoes, cutlery, and cot
ton goods can be set down in Europe for
Hess money than would be the cost OF their
manufacture there. For example, Switzer-
land sent over Commissioners to the Cen
tennial Exhibition, one OF them, Mr..
Favre Perret, was an extensive manutac-
turer OF watches andthe other, Mr.. Bally,
was the largest boot and shoe manufac-
turer in Europe. The watch manufacture
err, on his return, told his constituents
plainly that Switzerland must either adopt
The American method OF making watches
or her time-honored superiority In that
industry was gone. The other Com
missioner, Mr.. Bally, who ownes sever
al enormous boot and shoe manufac-
tories, and who has fitted them up with
American machines, acknowledged that,
even with the advantage OF cheaper labor
Than we have, he could not compete with
American manufacturers. For six months
after his adoption ofthe American method,
shoes made in Massachusetts, were laid
down in Switzerland, freight paid, Tor less
money than it would cost him to make
them. He even wrote a pamphlet, IN
which he eaid the Americans, who pay
three times as much for labor as he did,
can beat him in price and quality, And
the reason which he gives for It Is that he
cannot keep up with the rapid improve
ments which the Americans are constant
IL making in machinery. His men were
awkward, and could not handle the ma
chimes skillfully. In fine, he reached the
conclusion that inventions cannot be i'm
ported they must be the growth OF the
soil. The nation that originates will al.
WAYS be ahead OF the nation which copies.
dHow about cotton goods?I
IrWell, there is the best OF proof that
American cotton goods are cheaper than
The English. and It is found in the fact that
the Wamsutta Mills, of New Bedford,
Mass. keep standing advertisementsin the
London papers, offering forsale at whole.
sale rates their various brands OF muslins,
shrtincs. shcetings and calicoes side by
side with the English goods, and there has
heen n considerable panic among the Eng
iish manufacturers OF those articles in con-
sentence OF this competition. English
manufacturers OF cotton goods have Deen
for some time selling at direct loss IN
order to save their business connexions,
while many OF the weaker firms have gone
under. The condition OF this industry IN
the United Kingdom is growing rapidly
worse, and do not see how It can recover
itself, or how the loss OF that industry,
which seems inevitable, can fall TO cause
great disaster in that country. Ihere Is
also n corresponding depression in the
ron, steel, and wooden interests.
!" Are not foreign nations waking up 10
their lost prestigc| 90.
eyes; the manufacturers were inc hFst
N perceiye il. because the fact was thrust
mon them in very practical way. but
~, n.tention was aroused on this subject
bv The American Centennial, and more
recently by the remarkably large number
AZ prizes awarded to American exhibitors
ut the Paris Exposition.
"What advantage does this country pos.
scss which outweighs the disadvantage OF
having TO pay so much higher wages.
"Of course, our advantage Is in our su-
per;or machinery, but think our superb
ar machinery Is due to the inventive
genius of our people, which is tostered
and encouraged by our broad and liberal
system OF granting patents. Here, II an
;Iyontor can claim a thread OF novelty,
however slender, that is legitimate and not
factitious, the Government will grant MN
a patent on it for fec, in ordinary cases, OF
SIS, while in England the granting Of a
natent is surrounded with many embar-
easements tothe claimant, and costs 500 IN
ordinary cases. Indeed, in most OF INC
European countries the system Of grant;
inc patents has been so oppressive ana
! illiberal as to smother, rather than enco .
ace inventive talent. Many OF the foreign
Governments are now waking up to ING
faes that their patent laws must be model,
Cd on Tie American plan IT they would
retain their chief manufacturing lnaus
tries" .i,.