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

selves any comfort above their class or
raise themselves put of the groove of Gus
tom. He was amazed to hear how few
exceptions there were to this universal
dulness. His observation convinced him
more than ever before that the American
way of employing labor was the true
one. Good wages made the men better
at their work, and the incentive Of added
pay for improved labor gave them some
thing to which they could look forward
with lively satisfaction. Consequently.
Judging of the cost of labor by the pro-
duct, he no longer wondered that the
work turned out by men to whom he paid
81 and SO a day cost less than that of for
eign manufacturers whose men earned
only half or less than half such pay. The
American w%orkingmen did more than
twice the work done by w~orkingmen
abroad.
''Twice afterward Mr.. Sargent went to
Europe for more minute and more ex-
tended investigation. Each visit only
strengthened the convictions above stat
Ell. About 10 months ago he started
westward for a trip around the world.
His main purpose in going was to inves-
tigate the labor problem in Australia and
Asia. From that journey he has so late
ly returned that the sea tan still reddensI
his face. His talk today naturally boreI
a good deal on what he observed andY|
what he inferred from that trip,
In visiting hardware stores in New
Zealand and Australia he said, Il saw
that the higher grade and best finished
carpenters hand saws in stock were made
by Disston IL Sons of Philadelphia.
Saws of that make are unquestionably|
taking the markets of those countries|
from the British manufacturers in high
class goods. This means that Disston 81
Sons can produce a highly finished first
class saw, requiring a large amount of
skilled labor, at less cost than the Eng
fish manufacturer can do it, although
Disston's raw material costs more than
the raw material of the English manu-
f%acturer costs him. In low-grade goods,
requiring less labor in finish. but a lar
t ger proportionate amount of raw mate
rial. the English manufacturers still
maintain their position, and hold the
markets of the world. Generally [
found in the foreign markets OF Asia and
! Australia the same rule holding good in
articles requiring a large amount of la
: Dor and a comparatively small amour of
raw material. American manufacturers
: can successfully compete in any market
: where skilled labor is the test in spite of
r the low pay for which men work in Chi
= ma, in India, and in every country where
labor is debased.
Y My observation has taught me that
: the greatest obstacle to American compe-
: titiOn in foreign markets to nearly every
n class of goods in the high price of our
d raw materials. Take of the duty and We
will send our goods everywhere. Wages
d would increase here under such a system
rather than become lower. The cost Of
o freight between England and this coun-
j. try would amply protect the American
1t ~workingmen against European labor,
e even if there were ANYTHING to be feared
= Oh hat score. which ! 10 not believe.
Il "'Ispeak from positive personal knowl-
edge when | say that II high tariff oper.
ates against metals, especially iron. lead,
l. copper and zinc. For a good many years
V certainly ever since the war-Americar
:. copper has sold in foreign markets from
J. , to ) cents per pound lower than it could
n be bought at home by American manu-.
If facturers. OF course it has been difficult
le TO compete with British manufacturer
in foreign markets when they got their
, raw material much cheaper Than we
r, could get it. For a time some of oui
n manufacturers bought American copper
l. in England and brought it back across
d the ocean, taking advantage of the law
that admitted practically free of duty the
return of American goods in original
packages. The copper owners check
mated that, however, as soon as they
n learned of it, which was very early in the
game, by providing in their sales for the
n destruction of original packings. But
0 our manufacturers have been able to com.
r pete in such articles as have a larger
e proportionate cost in labor and a smaller
d proportionate cost in raw material. III
r such cases, it is only by keeping the cost
/ of finish in an article as much below the
y British cost of labor, as the British cost
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