Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-08-18

borders And the more she does it the
| more she will want to, because of the
profitableness of the change.
SILK LORE.
To the Editor of the Eagle.
The silk industry of Lyons is the &C
knowledged glory of France and the
pride of the whole world. 1t began on
the dawn of a new era in western Eu-
rope in 1870, following the dark night of
oppression when might made right and
true, manly independence was smoth-
cred for real gain, SO that life was hardly
worth the living. 1t began when man
kind was struggling for existence; while
the biggest fire lit at the martyrs stake
was yet burning. 1t began soon after
the discovery of the use of gunpowder
and contemporaneous with the art of
printing, the greatest and grandest dis
covery ever made-the harbinger of
peace, that tells us that the ornaments
Of war will soon be declared useless and
crowns only relics of the past.
At the commencement of the silk in
dustry in France the leather dress and
linen underclothes were just laid aside
and homespun wooden goods substituted.
This was found sufficient for ordinary
uses, but the popular demand was for
something better, something more dressy,
and the French were just the people to
manufacture and adopt the beautiful
silk fabrics. All mankind have admit
ted the superiority of her silk goods
they have continued from the first to
maintain their superiority in all the mar
kets of the world. During the past year
we have imported silk goods to the value
of $34, 057, III, the largest amount being
from France.
For 439 years the French nation has
bent all its energies to excel in the
weaving of this delicate thread
into beautiful and costly fabrics and
exalted themselves by leading the fash
ions and advertising their goods. For
over 800 years it gradually advanced in
Importance until checked by the revolu
ton. 1t subsequently acquired new
force and character on the introduction
of the jacquard loom in 1901. Prosperi
ty followed until the great American
collapse of 1887, from which it soon re-
covered and increased in prosperity until
the German war in 1S4S. by which it was
heavily taxed but only temporarily en-
barrassed.
The cheap and beautiful analine dyes
were soon discovered which gave the in
dustry another boom in new combina-
tons of gorgeous colors, and which,
together with the introduction
of power looms. made Lyons surpass
herself and preserve her supremacy.
The French government was great as
sistance to her in the adoption of good
far Pu ha oil
the nations protect this industry except
England, whose great shipping interests.
the carrying trade of the world, conflicts
they are petitioning for protection and
must have it to prosper.l The French
government has also assisted the new
enterprise by the establishment of reel
ing stations and the distribution of eggs,
but the defects in her climate and food
constantly reducing, their weak stock
makes frequent failures in raising Co
coons. A wet, foggy storm came off
the MEDITERRANEAN one day last June and
destroyed one-tnird of her crop of worms.
Heretofore the abundant supply
of cheap China raw silk enabled her to
continue prosperous until our late civil
war destroyed one of her best
markets. By extra exertion
on other lines of business
and opening new markets she recovered
her losses. So remarkable has been Ly-
ons' continued SUCCESS in silk manufac-
ture that nothing in the world can ex-
Gel her silk history except that enjoyed
by China for uninterrupted ages. To-
day the weekly pay roll for silk wages in
Lyons exceeds 81, 600, 900, employing up
wards of 10000 people and consuming
over $50, 900, 900 worth of raw silk per
annum-about equal to all that used in
America last year, which was sac, 914. 745
worth.
Lyons remarkable prosperity can be
attributed to the skill and ingenuity of
the French and assistance and protection
afforded by the government. the large
resources in China for raw silk and ex-
tensive markets for the sale of woven
goods. These two latter conditions of
success are liable to be curtailed by the
conversion of the raw silk where it is
grown in China and Japan and the pro-
duct placed in market in competition
with French goods. In view of the
shortness of her home crop of cocoons
the prospect is discouraging
The condition and future prosperity for
the American silk manufacture is even
more propitious and can only be helped
by the immediate assistance of the gov
eminent in protecting the raw product
as well as that manufactured. To en-
courage silk Gu ture in America and es-
pecially i'll Kansas, no time should be
lost by the government and individual
to foster and develop this most important
industry. Three hunered and eighty
two mills in the United States represent
ing a capital of over $780, 900 and
$4,000 operatives call upon us for as
sistance; $4,000 miles of Usage hedge in
Kansas offers its surplus leaves to con-
vert fallen race of foreign silk worms
into perfect race of perfect spinners.
Recently DR.. Hays, of Wichita, produced
a perfect miller that flew about the room,
doubtless the only one raised in the
world in 2,000. This glad news ought
to be heralded to the end of the world.
| was told last spring that any attempt
in the improvement of silk worms
would cause them to revert back to their
wild, undeveioped state. My exper-
iments all go to prove that at first weak
ness and disease are ever present with
them, many dying at every month, and
even III the Transformation to millers
and at every change in the weather, SO
that the number of cocoons are reduced
to one-half the number of eggs started
with. While every step forward in de-
velopment increases alike the number
and size Of the eggs, worms, millers