The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-02-23
INDUSTRIAL TRAINING.
Americans Lead in Mechanioal Ingsnri.

Americans Lead In mechanical ingenuity,
But Are Lacking in Artistic Skill
! The value of industrial education Is
being generally recognized by all in
! dustrial nations Skilled labor has be-
come one OF the controlling factors in
production. both in the expedition of
output and its artistic and commercial
! value. Competition has made the one
a necessity, while the education of
public taste insists on the other. IN
mechanical aids American genius has
surpassed all its contemporaneous COM
petitors. In many products, however,
where the artistic spirit is vital to their
commercial value, and which enters
largely in prominent and leading in
dustries, the skill distinguishing the
foreign worker places his American
rival at grave disadvantage. 1t is for
this reason that so heavy a drain is
made on our imports. The American
demand for the higher and finer quality
of wares, in which art and industry are
assimilated, is continually increasing.
and its qualification, if not found in a
home product, will be sought else
where. Hence the influx of certain inn
ports.
For instance, our importation of or
namental or decorated pottery in 1878
amounted to $685., 4s5 out of our total
importation costing $4,000, 600. But in
1888, ten years later, the amount of our
artistic pottery wares footed up 81, 247.-
co., about two-thirds of our entire pot
terry Importation. With our sales OF
copper representing a yearly disposal
of 5000, coo pounds of manu- ctured
metal and 40. 600 tons of ore, the bronze
and other fine metal work annually i'm
ported amounts in value to nearly that
of our copper sales. Ia textiles the
same paradoxical condition is manifest,
and is thus stated by contemporary:
For example, the million tons of cot
ton which we exported to Europe dur
ing the fiscal year of 1883 had its value
enhanced fully twenty times by the
treatment of European workmen. For
1000, 900 tons of cotton fiber we received
1920, 900, 900; for the fraction, insignif-
can't in bulk, that we bought back
again, we paid $40, 000 000" In
such examples as these the neces-
SHY Oh lUuuSJTldl cuuCdGlOn - Sell-
asserting and the best methods Of
securing it is a matter of national i'm
portance. Manual training in public
schools, in which from childhood up the
scholar is faniliarized with the use of
tools and his progress in EXPERIENCES
made matter of pride and ambition.
is certainly not encouraging to a dis
taste to labor or a mistake as to its i'm
portance and value. 1t is by the in
fusion of this spirit into the rising gen
Grafton that we can secure the social
democracy of the people, cultivate in
telIigence that win of itself solve the
great industrial problem and place
American products on equal terms with
those of the older nations. Those who
are rightful competitors in the markets
of the world are making strenuous eff
forts on the line of industrial education
and are maintaining their end of the
line with characteristic persistence.
The results are evident in the bulk and
character of our imports and will con-
tinue to hold their commercial position
till the native product in contesting
lines will make their importation I'M
necessary From allstandpoin is, ethic-
al and economic, industrial education
& mad Of StaaI