Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1888-09-14

they had the markets of the world on
which to draw and in which to sell | be-
lieve they would be more prosperous,
and if | could make foreign sales to
coed my domestic sales l could sell
cheaper and make more money, for |
can make large quantities of goods at
a lower cost per piece than | can make
small quantities. My interest as a
manufacturer is to pay good wages.
| have better men for doing 1t. As my
men improve their circumstances they
want homes, they will build houses.
They will build more houses and contri-
butte more to the prosperity of my busi-
ness if they are free to buy their hard
ware in the cheapest market than If they
can buy only of me and have to pay me
a high profit to keep up my protection.
With a free market | can afford to mark
down prices as low as any one, and the
volume of my sales must increase, for
there will be more people to buy OF me.
"I think that what | have said of met
ais is true of textiles. American cotton
goods in Asia go to show as much. Per-
haps in high wooden manufactures Eng
land may be ahead of us, but with duty
off the raw material, we may depend
upon the American manufacturer to ap-
pear in a short time as a bidder for for
eign trade in wooden goods. He will i'm
prove his labor, and by the application
of American grit and ingenuity he will
get trade beyond any doubt. American
labor is the best in the world. 1t will
carry everything before it.
"'I do not understand the narrow sell
fishness of those American manufacture
ers who always clamor for a high pro-
tective tariff. 1t is the broadly selfish
man who can make the most money at
manufacturing. The greatest misfortune
to American manufacturers is the neces-
sity of shutting down by reason of slack
trade. This occurs too often. dismaying
capital and demoralizing labor. With an
extended market there would be less dam
ger of this. Communities freed from
this fear would become happier. more
contented, more ambitious. 1t is espe-
cially desirable that a community be
prosperous. Prosperity is brought about
by constant employment. Constant en-
ployment in this country can be insured
only by making raw materials so cheap
that manufacturers can go into foreign
markets with their goods.
"'That is all | wan to say generally at
present. Mr.. Sargent went on after a
little, but wan you TO- to 60 with
me through the factory, talk with the
men, watch what they are doing, get the
touch of actual contact and observation"
"IIe led the way first to the department
where brass knobs, rings. clasps and 9TH
er small brass wares are turned out. Ev-
cry MAJ was busy at his bench. He had
a certain thing before him to do. The
material was brought to him and 1t was
his business to put it through a certain
process. Every man knew that the more
he did well the better lie would be paid.
John Ruff, a hale, middle-aged German,
was in charge of the shop. He was a
skilled workman in similar work in Ger
many years ago, but came over here ear
ly enough to catch the American spirit
of industry. We walked along the
benches and watched the men. Heaps of
finished work lay in trays at their feet,
and they were all driving ahead with
their machines to make their days aver
age by which they knew their earnings
were gagged. A young Russian near the
foreman's desk was turning on a revolv.
ing point little strips of brass that were
to be fitted around the edge of common
porcelain picture hooks. He did the work
so fast that it looked as if the act OF
shufl1ing the brass strips from one hand
to the other was enough to produce the
rings. Down the room an old mar
looked up from his work. He was con
spicuous because every other face in the
room was bent forward.
"'That boy is new at the business,
said Mr.. Ruff. He will work much
faster in a little while. The old man il
a veteran at it and a tirst-class man il
Germany. The boy makes the mos
money. He wants to learn and does al
he is directed. The old man is set in tn,
ways he learned in the old country
Whenever | have given men employment
who have learned the trade at home ant
stuck to home methods, as men will d.
after they pass their youth, | have al
ways regretted it. 1t is seldom now tina
| will take into the shop a man who ha
learned his trade in Europe. Even boy
will do better, making more money 70
themselves and turning out a larger pro
duct for US. The cheapest man is tn
. one who can do the most work and ear
for himself the most money
, Chief Justice Fuller is not only
! ripe scholar, but a brilliant whist player
An Omaha hoy held n FROG I'm hi