Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-08-17
Patented Machinery in America and
England.

A correspondent at Cnrlew, Iowa,
asks us San easy One' in the fol
lowing:
"Please state why manufacturer
of machinery can make machines
here, ship them to England and sell
them there for less money than
they charge here 1t has been
stated that they make and ship
binders and then sell them for $50
or $50 less than here"
The answer is, they can not, and
do not. Many of the American
firms manufacturing patented ma
chinery, and who have secured pat
ents, not only In the United States
but in England and other leading
European countries, have establish.
ed factories in England to mana
facture them, in addition to their
factories here. The machines made
in England sell for less than those
made here but 1t IS because labor
costs at least one.half less in that
country than in the Uniled States.
Take the sewing machines, for
instance. The Singer machines,
which sell here for $40 to $50, ac.
cording to finish, retail in Eng
land at from five to seven guineas,
or, in dollars, from $2G to S37. We
take the latter figures from the adj
vertlsements in the London papers.
But those made in England are
made at Coventry, England, which
establishment probably makes
more sewing machines and bicy-
cles thar any other single factory
in the world. The sole reason the
machines made there sell cheaper
in England than those made at the
American factory are sold here, is
because wages are so much less
there than here. Wages in the
Coventry factory are from 50 to so
a week ; in America the working
men in the Singer factory average
about 800 week.
We have seen the same statement
that our correspondent gives made
concerning agricultural machinery
-harvesters, in particular. SO tar
as we can learn, the case is exactly
the same as with sewing machines.
They have English factories, and
the machines turned out there are
sold for less than similar machines,
made in this country, are sold here.
The difference in the cost of labor
is the reason.
But our correspondent must bear
in mind that all these machines are
patented both here and In Europe,
and hence the men owning the pat.
ents have a monopoly of the patent |
ed device. 1t is said that the actual |
cost of manufacture of the Singer |
machine is S14 in this country and |
between SS and 80 IN England. /
The pushing sewing machine can
vasser who calls at your house is
paid by commission, which ranges |
from 40 per cent, if cash is paid, to
30 per cent. If bought on the INSTALL
ment plan. That leaves only $50
to the agency. The expenses of
the agency include advertising,
rent, several teachers, delivery
wagons, collectors, manager, clerks,
interest, repairs, ect., which eat
up the difference between this and
the wholesale price at the factory.
Nearly the same system is pnrsued
ia the sale OF agricultural machinery
and many other patented articles.
1t is further to be remembered
that it would make no difference
TO the consumer here If the Eng
Iish machine was admitted duty
free, for the agency system and the
price are maintained by an agree
ment, trust or combine among the
sewing machine makers. But 1t
wonld make a great deal OF differ
snce to the workers in machine fac
.Ories East, for the manufacturers
would ship their plant to England
and do all their manufacturing
here if machines made IN that
could be brought here free
)f duty.