New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-10-22
INDUSTRIAL GERMANY.
nv poRERT p. POTTER MEMBER OF THE LATE
b' TARIFF COMMISSION.
XIII.
Effect OF PROTECTION UPON CoIIoN
- INDUSTRY.

.,,ru.usEN. Alsace Sept. 1s.--Before the Franco
cor,nan war N 1870 France possessed very con-
sderable portion of her cotton manufacture IN THIS
.,n and when she lost this at the close of the war
+. GOOD many manufacturers in the province uh"lh-
inc 70 become German subjects, crossed the frontier
,ettled in the VOsges and established the COTTON
trade there. The Departments of heuIthe CT
Moselle Vosges and HauteSa6ne are among 'io
most interesting regions of France. But nan "
Laramie Alsace and the Fortress OF Me'Z h'" -
90 and Belfort was only saved by the pieauiHs -
Theirs In the recent works on Germany h'9 .
Lorraine is given as part of the md-mountan regions
of that Empire, but the new French nni' !,
tjnge the lost territory deep black. to distinguish
to,n the other DEPARTMENTS of the Repuoho' anu
retain IL on the man of France. Beginning a' Ooo-
Ientz and thence I'D the yine-clad Naio! Vi INV
MoSelle 10 ancient Treves, where spent "io vi '"'
ouietest Sundays of my life, traVerseu 'S C"'"'
region stopping on my way sou'h az i' o
once the second fortress OF Europe Meth' ' S''"'
corr,a,, fortress. then down the Moselle to Nancy
once the capital of the Duchy OF Lorraine ho" d"
innortopt textile town; thence through LuheNillc
Baccarat. celebrated for It's glass WoIhs' al" o.
Die Arriving at Thanh, famous alike 1oi It's ooau-
tf,I sccnerv and cotton prints, we are out OF the
ilo-.,,riuk lied foreSt-land of the sources OF the
Neurtbe and Moselle and pass into the Lorraine
plateau. $780,. ~
,b Rbiue side these mountains bear on their rocky
mattresses ruined castles some like that OF Hohen
KanirSburg and that of Girhaden, the grandest IN
Germany. Girbaden once possessed fourteen gat'N
and fourteen courtyars and is the Oldest aud most
extensive fortress in Alsace and not less imposing
i Voben K0nigSburC standing l, ESQ feet above the
sea-levcl. with its huge sandstone walls towering
above rich chestnut woods. Scarcely less interest
inc than the castles is the 0dilien Berg, convent
of the Third Order Franciscan Sisters, situated on
rocky platform $500 feet above the sea. This
boicit was once occupied by Celtic city, and was
afterward fortified by MaXimian as a stronghold
against the Alemann about A. u. 800. The old
Roman walls remain. On the Western slope are
some of the most ancient centres of Christian cyl-
cation in Europe-abbeys founded by Irish mission
aries: Lure founded by st. DcicoluS A. ID. 60;
Ipxeuil. founded in $50 by st. COlumhanuS REM
riemont founded in ego, lying among the hills
clothed with fr-trees, the fragrance of which per
yades the whole air and st. Die, established by -.
De,datns in 6GO From these places lS,ued the lnls-
sionaries who converted Switzerland, and eStab-
lshed colonies all over Swabia and Bavaria III the
seventh and eighth centuries
Located thus in enc of the most interesting parts
OF Europe surrounded by some of the most ancient
as well as the most thriving industrial towns, and
ing district of Switzerland. a large part OF
France. and South Germany, the position of
MuIhausen as the most important manufacturing
town on the Upper Rhine is apparent. The recent
transfer of this city from France 10 Germany,
changing as it must have done its entire markets,
and as am also informed. the grades of an impor-
tant branch of its manufactured goods adds TO the
interest of present inquiries Mulhausen was for
merly a free imperial city; it Joined the Confedcra-
ton, and was a republic from 1915 TO 179S. when
il was united to France; after the Franco-German
war. as already shown, 1t was annexed to Germany.
The Rhine and Rhone Canal, which passes il, rs
well as the railways to Strasburg and the Lower
Rhine to Basic and Switzerland 10 Beltort and
Besancon. and Yesoul, and therefore the south aud
east of France. give it great commercial advan-
tages Its supply of coal is obtained chiefly from ST.
Etienne and Rive de Gier, by the Rhine and Rhone
Canal. The population, according to the last cen
sus. was Ga 600 The old part of Alulhausen is ir
regularly built with narrow streets aud very poor
houses But side by side the new town is growing
nm with wide streets and substantial quarters for
the working men. About thirty years ago was
founded by a philanthr0pc society a residence
quarter especially for working men. called Work
mans City, The object was 10 take the workinen
from the crowded tencment-hOu>es which abound so
in the industrial centres of both France and Ger
many and provide for them comfortable houses
each consisting of two rooms kitchen aud cellar.
and with garden. and so arranged that the pay
ment of stipulated annual sum for limited period
would ultimately make the occupant owner Of the
house. This locality now contains about 1000
houses. and the inhabitants seem comfortable and
cOntented.
II is claimed that the district Of which Mnlhauscu
is the centre annually produces about $20o00,0o0
worth of textile goods. The importance Of some of
these establishments may be better judged after
reading the following official statement:
The very extensive establishment in cotton spin
ming weaving, and calico printing al Mulhausrn
is perhaps. the largest OF that KIND on the Cont
nent. Ii produces exceptionally tine calico prints
and especially satus glossy that they are hardly
dsceI1iiblc from silk. This establishment virtually
dictates the markets in satins III Southern and Mid
die Germany.
For long time the finest cotton yarns used in the
weaving establishments Of Germany have been snip
piled from England, but when Alsacc was annexed
it was supposed the supply would come from the
Mulhausen district But France had been more
jealous in protecting her fine thread manufactures
than Germany, and il was found that unless the
duty was increased the English and Swiss manufac-
turcrs would force tho Alsatian industry to the
wall Before the increased duty was put on III 1879
it seems that the spinning mills Of Alsacc were
obliged to change their machinery and produce
cOarser and cheaper yarn which the German market
required According 10 United States Consul Bal
lou. at Kehl this has been done to great extent
and has in the main resulted satisfactorily. De
prived as they were of the French market and until
within the last four years without sufficient pro-
tective tariff, this industry was languishing and IN
avery unsatisfactory condition.
However" said Consul Ballou, the new Ger
tariff established in October 1879, has had the
effect of keeping out their great competitors, that
Is to a great extent and last year, although the
factories of Alsace produced great many goods,
they have all been disposed of at satisfactory
prices"
Ia July 1850, Il very able and thorough State De
partment report, covering over twenty closely