New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-01
Jipiy.S INDUSTRIAL "OPENING."

Jananese competition is the most signiicaht
factor in the industrial world to-day. Ih"'
,slond Emplre has been Opened Win ven
geance. It is playing with America ana Europe
tho same game II played so successfully WIN
China and Corea many years ago. Time was
whom II WAS far behind those countries III ART
and industry But they Opened IL 10 'heir
higher civilization. 1t proved TO he an apt pupil
and in Il generation far outstrlpped It's teach
ors Within the memory Of men now living the
rn,ted States again opened Japan to the
whole world II would be good thing men
tbouch to lei in the light of our superior civllza
t,on upon those darkened barbarans; ana Incl
dontolv 70 make fine new market for Yankee
notions" and the wares Of Birmingham 80 IL
,,.,s Rnt the .Japanese showed themselves just
os ant pupils as ever. They learned our arts
and industries and put them into practlce' anu
to-day they threaten to surpass their teachers
and glut the Newcastle market with lmpor'eo
Goals
An article which we publish on another page
If to-day's paper tells how they are dong 'h's'
They are keeping up their own distinctive aris
and manufactures, which apparently no o'her
nation can ever hope to rival. They MAINTAIN
their old monopoly In paper goods, ana SINS,
and lacquer and pottery, and carvings ana
metal work: and they keep the exquisite perfec
,ion Of their workmanship unimpaired by the
exiccncIes Of modern trade. But they do far
moro than that They take up the characteristic
Industries Of Europe and America, ana prose
cuta them with the same surprising SKILL
Pianos and parlor organs, optical sureicai anu
scientific instruments of the most exquisite con-
s,ruction bicycles. rifles, watches anu clocks
are all being manufactured in Japan as perfectly
as in any other country. They hesitate at noun
ing. They fail in nothing
The Japanese have, moreover, one enormous
advantage over all the rest Of the world in the
choopncss of labor Great as Is the contrast
hotvccn WAGES in America and in Europe 1t IL
y mere trIte by the side Of that between Europe
ond Jopan. In the last-named country III GENTS
. d,v il q fair rate of wages. Ten cents ia!
in competition with the Industries Of the ,nited
States. And that means ten hours Il Oh! VI
earnest intelligent labor by the most thorough
Industrious and quick-wittcd Of workmeh. Az
o,.o,.vhodv knows. the cost of labor is the chief
element Of cost of most Manufactured arucleS'
If. then Japan can reduce that element 10 less
than 10 per cent Of what II Is elsewhere d!
what Il formidable margin will she De aDle 10
underspll all rivals in the markets or the WORTH
II is no hooking cry Of Wolf 1t is pain
statement Of impending danger. Japan ma!
presently be exporting bicycles and pianos anu
moving machines and a thousand other thinss
of bor own manufacture to this country tuliy
coual in quality to the best we can produce III
half. or quarter, the cost OF manufacture neic'
That is tbe problem which the Industrial econo-
,,ists If Europe and America have to deal with.
How time alone will show. But this one thihs
Is certain. Japan has been opened" and can
not again be closed The fisherman has released
the genie from the vessel, ana lie cannot ni"A'
him re-enter IT,.