The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-12-05
1nnIl.rRIAL FRANCE.
what Protection has Done-1he Tech
nicai SchooIs-The Wage Question.


INDUSTRIAL FRANCE. E.
wbnt Protection has D0ne-1he Tech.
nicni SehooIs-The Wage Question.
Robert r. Porter In N Y. Tribune.
Whilethe wooden industry,as JAMESTOWN
inmy letters from Bradford, has been stead
lin decling in Yorkshire during the last
fifteen years, the reverse has been the case
in the Rheims district, the French tariff
carefully securing the home markets to the
manufacturer. This increase Is ahown in
the fact that Rheims bought in 1867 49,
100000 Kilograms Of wool, while in 1880
the amount had increased 10 nearly %, 0OO,-
oOOkilograms. Indeed, 80 prosperous has
the trade been that, while the Bradford
manufacturers were talking Of ''Fair trade
ar bankruptcy" some OF the more enter.
prising Yorkshire brethren decided to take
advantage Of the protective policy Of
France. and raised the annual production
of combed wool in this district from about
$4,000 Kilograms per day in 1870 to over
10000 Kilograms per day in 1882, by the
erection OF new English mills at Rheims.
In worsted yarns and stuff the exporta'
tions from England have decreased from
Sl35, 100000 in 1879 to $Sl 900 600 for 1882
French goods were not only beating the
English in the markets Of the world, but
goods from Rheims and Roubaix were
I,ushjng those OF Yorkshire out Of the Brit
ish market.
But protection has not alone been the
"a Ia EFunrn Ia
made in the weolen industry. In tho first
place she held closely to Atwood goods
when Bradford went of to mixed fabrlcs'
In the second place the French believe
that what ia beneficial to Roubaix, Rheims
or any other great manufacturing town
benefits also the whole country. AS q re
suit there Is no nation in the world, ex.
ceptipg perhaps the United States, that has
made such progress as France has during
the last few years in her manufactures
There are journals, regret TO say, in the
United States that within the last few
months have displayed in commenting on
this series OF letters an amount Of ignorance
regarding industrial France that Is simply
appalling to any one who has
recently visited the industrial
centres OF the great European
Republic. The spirit Of Colbert, Of Ma
poleon !, and OF Chaptal is not only shown
in the construction Of the new tariff, but in
the increasing facility for industrial and
technical education; in the constant aim
for still higher excellence and still further
perfection in every line OF industry. High
" talented designers, skilful chemists and
trained dyers are employed in all the text
lie industries. Public museums are found
in the important industrial centres de
voted to the specially OF the community
silk, lace, woolens, cotton, linen, OF: what
ever 1t may be. Said member Of the
English Commission on Technical Educa'
ton. SIN one calico.printing establishment
in Paris I saw more high-claes original de.
signs employed In the making OF English
dresses to be worn in England than were
probably to be found in the whole OF the
Bradford trade"
What does Bradford think OF that?
Here in the Rheims district find the
greatest energy being put into the techni-
cal schools. This municipal school cost
100000 and the locality made to 1t grant
OF Sl2,000. This was done from the mu.
nicipal rates. The classes arc all free, and
il any talented boy is too poor TO attend
and support himself, he is clothed and fed
while be periects himself in his trade. I
shall hereafter speak OF the splendid pro.
gress OF the trade OF those remarkable in.
dustrial towns, Lille, Roubaix and Turco-
ing. Bat within short time new tech
meal school which will cost 100000
has been begun at Roubaix, the French
Government to pay $50, 900 and the rates
OF the town $4,000. In the present
Roubaix technical school they have from
600 to 200 pupils, and the town votes an
annual subsidy Of $4,000. England, in
carrying out her famous doctrine OF ldiSe:.
fare, has ignored this method Of assisting
industries as we'll as the more direct meth
cd OF Protection. Already she has been
compelled to make move in the direc-
ton Of technical education, and commits
sion has recently astonished the British
manufacturers with an account OF the adj
vances in this direction In the north OF
Italy, France, Alsace, Switzerland, Ger
many, some parts otAustria, and Belgium
and Holland.
A commission 10 investigate the effects
OF Free Trade was proposed by some here
tic in Parliament. That was too.much.
"The mere appointment OF such q COM
mission" said great statesman, would
be playing into the hands OF Protection"
And the resolution was lost; but not by
a great majority.
The working people Of this district are
upon the whole as well of as those in
Pensbury and Bailey and in some OF the
industrial parts Of Leeds and Bradford.
Many Of them live in comfortable cottages
amid the yine.clad mountaing OF the cham
paign districts. During the last ten years
much has been done in France toward
providing better homes for the operatives;
and in this work the Rheims district has
not been behind the Department Of
the Nord and Normandy. OF course,
the condition Of the working people
in the woollen industry Of either Great
Britain, France or Germany cannot be
compared with the condition OF the oper-
atives in the same industry in the United
States, because the latter earn about 100
per cent more wages; and they obtain bet
ter food for the same price, while their
other expenditures they cared for
nothing beyond what their Continental
brothers are able to purchase-need not
greatly exceed that OF the EngliEh, French
or German, except in the one item OF rent.
It costs the American workman more to
live simply because his wants are greater,
his ambitions greater, his horizon broader;
he is in fact in all respects higher type
OF being; he is man with future.
InVERkS ENOIG IINTIEn