The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-04-02
COME ERRONEOUS ideas.


W. have many times said that IN our
Judgment the ideas on which our "auo
unions are founded are destructive ~
tho interests Of laboring en- Inc "a"'
unions OF this country are no'h'ne INV
On extrome I'm adherence TO and enforce
-. ~, ,,ose ideas 90 he trade unions
of England. but '0 ''' '
,hc main upon the same elementary '''"''
andss snlass. -.l,.,. whore scheme Is "'''.
n uFthe trade unions OF Ameil'" ""'
q, time cauge their membership as much
,,i,,rv as the English trade unions cause
choir membership. The word-renowheu
inventor. Hiram :. Maxim, who 'hous"
an American has his factory ana P'"''
of business i'm England. has had an inter
view with a reporter for the New YORK
sun. in which ne has disclosed some i''"''
romarkahle facts in relation TO the innu-
once of the English trade unions. we
.aorf 10 a large extent condensation
of what he said. made by the journal oi
Commerce. Mr.. Maxim. amongst o'he'
things manufactures great numbers Oh
the army rifles cannon and small arms
Of which he is the inventor.
At the outset he tells us that inc
American mechanic is the finest IN me
world. The Englishman was the pest
among Europeans. But Of late years the
labor agitators have so tefogged MN
with the idea that 1t IS much more Inn
nortant he shall not DO too mucn WorA
than that he should do the best WofN'
that he is losing his place He mas not
los. his cunning. bat lac Is so deterhii 6"
that he will not do more than MINI
mum amount Of work that lac IL losihe
his efficiency as compared with the me-
,hanics OF other countries, who are Will
ing to do all tley can. and the business
I'm which nc was long pre-eminent Is
Slipping away from lin The German
Is Il good mechanic. al he has the sense
10 sticl, TO copying American designs ana
inventions. and he is, therefore forging
rapidly ahoad. Mr.. Maxim thinks the
Frenchman the best an-around mechanic
in Europe.
So marked Is the superiority of Ameri-
can mechanical skill that English steel
could be imported into This country pay
"a high duty. be fashioned into tools and
exported to both England and the CONT
rent. and the reputation Of American
tools and machine tools Is now far above
that Of the like articles manufactured II
England. whcTce all such Instruments
used TO come exclusively. This Is no
only true Of micrometer calipers' scale
and rules. but even OF squares. for Mr.
Maxim says that a square that Is squar
is not made for sale H. England IN
French instruments are as perfect as IN
American. or very nearly so. but on &C
count OF the difference IN the methods
production the cost Is four or five time
that of Amt rican instruments. This fac'
and the fact already mentioned ina
Americans could import foreign s'ee
pay the duty on IL. make tools OF II an
return the tools to Europe, ought 10 haV
some weight with the people who Sam
that because the rate OF wages Is hig
In this country the cost Of productio
must necessarily be high.
The English trade unions are rapid
driving TO France and Germany the wor
that the English mechanic used to haV
monopoly OF. The trade unions WI
not allow them 20 DO a fair days wor'
and the mechanics Of the continent al
willing TO do IL. and are therefore gettin
the business. once 1t was necessary
the workman 10 hold the tool In h
hand when operating the iron turnin
lathe. OF course one man could only ten
one lathe. Now the lathe Is automsti
The article 10 be turned is automaticail
fed 10 the cutting instrument. and excel
20 change the cutting instrument. whic
is done quickly and not very often. u
man In charge has nothing to do y