New-York tribune., 1886-02-01
ELTrER pRIcLs foR SEUING SILK
MANUFACTURERS CoNHlNlNG IL sfLF-DiIENCE-
ENDING \ Long CONPETGrIoN.

MANUFACTURERS CoNHlNlNG ~ sfLF-DLlENtE-
ENDING Long COMPETITORS.
The meeting of scwng-siik and twist manu-
fActulrr. IA thi- city last Friday, by orgauzin- an
association 20 promote harmony and mutual Interests In
the trade took steps toward closing long aud memorable
strife IAis branch OF the silk industry IS the oldest IN
the country. Tho value Of its annual production OF
goods is more than SlOOOOoOO. About hfiy separate
concerns engaged IN the manufacture but the great
bulk OF the business is done by half dozen large hrnS
Nearly all their mills are IN Connecticut and MassacHu-
srts Probably they are about to open new page In
their history but already thcr; Is enough OF It to point
a moral.
Tic manufacture OF sewing silk ~ household art In
Connecticut began IN colonial times ana attained i'm
poraUcc in thc earlier Iut oi TINS century lLo 'h
aid patience TO tho utmost, 10 do the WORK by p""ei
driven machinery. For many years ne lI+u,t WI .''
series OF improvements II surpassed The foreign soo's
IN quality, u had -tl hard struggle Tor tcpuhtou'
That TN, point carried rs early as 1913 shown ny
y leading nnufarturcrs a. meeting In this city, de
caring that thcy would no longer conceal theIr goods
under foreign labels. ~ Tat period the competition
WIS severe hut It was WhOy with the foreign producer
N,Ht came the Invention of tLc -cWlug MaylNc am the
demand Tor q KIND OF -rWug ak suited 10 H. whch'
dstinctVoy q. "uacLno twist" THIS gave great i'm
pctus To the hurnc,7 h.H 'e nj hrrcb N, In
now very lar cHcrrds all the rest OF ms ui"uvn % % ~
du-iry. A. the machine ami it7 twist started IN c
couctti on i'm The case lkuus OF sewing SIX shared
lu the lmpruy OF muuuiaCurca with the result
ILru rpraug lp betWccu our own manufacturers a
ncrcer rivalry than tho trade had ever known at ms
condition n aanir- has continued with few brlrt Inter
ruptlnuN to the present In most ira c, ulr com
peton tends degrade the qUalt OF the product iu
order To meet lowered prices, but This i not hr case
with sewing SILKS there ready means of test,
inr them and buyers have been educated 10 require
goods that viii stand the tests. llactic y the connie
tltlon solely OF prices thluly discussed ny ais
counts To purchasers, aud presents OF caulhct1
eHpen pieces OF furniture TO display the wares mere
roull be- no more complete decentralization Ot the IAct
that home competition Il more elective than fOrrRa III
bringing down prices Of goods. The sewing SILKS OF
today are far better than the once famous " lauan
silks and less than half the prcc Bdt though sc
pruyf may be very pleasant TO the student or poca
economy not equally agreeable u IN" m"hulhcl-
urer cspeclay when IL continues year aiter year. par
Ing down his margin OF prOht@. ,,, -
For the As three years the cost OF raw SILK mas
been slowly but steadily falling. This material s the
chief I'm OF sewing silks ana bears larger
nhr br uch OF elk industry Ia THIS country Indor
the rrss OF competition the prices Of goods were forced
down In equal step with those OF the raw material ana
cupsumers got oil benefit OF the dcclue But wlthn
two or thrco months the conditions have changed; !;
prlces of raw silk suddenly, rested a ntue teh
rose again and st To be rising All indlcn-
lions point to permanently increased cost Oi the raw
material The logic OF the situation Is ms conclusive hS
that OF Mr. MlClwber about income ana expenditure
The manuf must advance their prices ana now
aver should haTmoniLo their differences lhelr
meeting on thl. subject last Friday, after making con
siderable prOgress and determining an advance Ol al
lsast % per cent anuacturod goods was ADJOURNED
IN IA.