The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1894-06-07
AMERICAN AND ENGLISH INyEN.
TlONS @I,Ht
| How English Manufacturers Initiate
Our Advanced IDEAS of Machin-

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How English Manufacturers Initiate
Our Advanced IDEAS of Machin-
cry.
New York Commercial Advertiser:
1t has long been our boast that Ameri-
ca was able to produce better results
in the technical field than those due to
any other nation; even where hand
work is concerned this is believed to
hold true in many respects. If it is
simply a question Of adhering to tradi-
ton and of reproducing the products
originated by past generations the for
elgn workman may equal or surpass
the American. But it has long been
remarked that where originality and
an ability Of thinking and working on
independent lines are involved the for
elgn highly-specialized workman yields
to the more independent American me-
chanic, as to one less hampered by ira
dldon. Thus we find our country
Astounding in self-made men who be-
gan at the lathe and bench, and now
own and conduct great factories. Their
independent habits of thought have op-
ened for them their careers.
1nventiveness, the great American
characteristic, has had much to do with
this state of affairs. The constant
striving after invention, the introduce
ton of ingenious machines and labor
saving processes, has relegated the old
country machine-like workman to the
mast EiS 1xn0r.l- &c, T.,
and those who attend the machinery
may be destined to be inventors of
others designed to surpass them. While
handmade goods, from their very i'm
PROJECTIONS, have a charm for the az
fist, the everyday user appreciates
rather the constant good quality of ma
chine-made articles. Our superior
methods have given us the power of
competing under primarily unfavor-
able conditions with the cheapest Ia
Dor of foreign countries.
1t is a question how long the ST.
premacy of our methods will last. For
eign competitors in the industrial world
have, for some time past, realized the
fact that certain American-made arti-
cles sell better than their own; in
deed, they find similar state of things
oUIttluluS Ill udIy lines OF n1lnu1ac-
lines Of manufactures. :uat ol-o {,
lures. One way of meeting the case
is resorted to in the production Of
counterfeit American goods. Discredi-
table as it is, there is no question that
extensive operations Of this character
have been carried on.
But a more honorable way of meet
ing what seems to be true emergency
has been adopted. English manufac-
turers now send over students of oul.
manufacturing processes, in the person
of intelligent young men who enter our
shops as workmen and labor there,
studying meanwhile, and learning all
the details Of our shop and manufact-
uring processes. The United States is,
in fact, treated as a technical school.
The men sent pass from one factory to
another so as to get good view Of diff
ferent processes. Then they return and
use their knowledge to advance their
own home Industries.
In almost every field of technical
work America has won renown. It is
now evident that our neighbors are de-
termined to find out why this is, and
the placing OF students in our shops is
tribute of the highest value to our
methods Of work.