The San Francisco call., 1896-09-30

era Of great industrial development is at
Neither Europe nor America can with
stand, on equal footing, the competition of
India in any line of production under
taken. Sixty per cent of the jute manu-
featuring machinery OF Dundee, Scotland,
the very life of that city, has been hushed
by Indian competition, and the doom of
the rest of it 8 likewise sealed.
Common laborers in railroad building in
India receive 6 cents a day in wages as
valued in American money. Lathe ma
chinists get "a to 27 cents day, and other
wages range between THESE two extremes.
The standard of living is low and only the
coarsest and cheapest products are con-
sumed by the Hindoo.
After generations of hounderfng in the
mire of unthrift, swept by floods anc de-
voured by famine, British administration
of Indian affairs has impounded the sur
plus waters, irrigated the arid wastes, built
10000 miles of railroad from in terror to
coast, and otherwise fully equipped India
to enter the industrial lists in competi-
tion with the better paid labor of the
Western world. Having been lifted up
the Hindoos are now prepared 10 pull their
benefactors down, and are doing it.
We have heard much from the Demo-
cratic party of the advantages to be gained
by access to the markets OF the world" I"
by having the ''stars and stripes flying in
every sea-" Let us see what this has
amounted to so far.
Take Japan. During 1894 there was ex-
ported from the United States to Japan
goods to the value of $10,982, ,558, but we
bought from Japan goods to the value of
4,523. 557.
During 1895 our exports to Japan
amounted to 1926, 800 and our imports
from Japan amounted to $54, ,02S, $50.
We buy from Japan 40 per cent of all
she has to sell to the rest of the world.
We sell to Japan per cent OF all that she
. buys of the world. She takes our millions
and sends them 10 Europe to buy with
them what she wants, because she can buy
there cheaper than here, and she can buy
there cheaper than here because Europe
can manufacture cheaper than America
can, and Europe can manufacture cheaper
than America can because labor is cheaper,
and for no other reason on earth.
Take India. During 1895 we sold to
British India goods to the value of 81, S53,-
94l, but we bought of the same countries
goods to the value of $2l, ,266 013. During
1894 the difference was not quite so great,
The balance of trade against us being only
$40, 500 55S, but for the year 1893 the bal
ance against US was far greater, being
$50, 815, 794 and it usually ranges between
fifteen and twenty millions a year.
Take China. During 1895 we sold to
that country goods to the value of So, ,603,-
$40, but we bought goods to the value of
$50, ,545 829. During 1894 the balance
against us in our trade with China
amounted to $11, SOP, during 1893 the
balance against us was SIG, 1856 078, and the
adverse balance in our trade with China
ranges between these figures and has done
so for years.
The fact is that the United States cam
not compete with Europe in supplying
the Orient with the commodities because
our wages are higher and our standard of
living more excellent and the Orient can
not buy greatly from any country because
of its low standard of living and degraded
standard of wages and production does
not furnish the means to buy with. For
instance, the entire production of British
India for whole year, all the wealth
taken out of the soil, the mines, the sea,
and manufactured by artisans does not
exceed $40 Tor each man, woman and child
in that country. How can such a poverty
stricken people buy of the world or sell to
the world? We buy of them because we
are rich and able to buy. They sell to us
because they are too poor to consume the
things they produce and ought to keep for
home consumption. And yet tariff re-
formers never cease to boast of the fabu-
lous wealth awaiting development of
American traffic with the Orientl
Those who view the question of Orien-
tai competition as set forth in these pages
are not oblivious of the fact that certain
schoo. of doctrinaires and tariff reform
ers (men like Bryan, who declare the pro-
tective idea the ''most pernicious political
principle that ever cursed the country''l
are inclined to pooh-pooh at the danger of
Aslatlc competition with the better-paid
labor OF Europe and America. Want of
space forbids an adequate enumeration
and consideration of the contentious of
these sanguine and satisfied exponents of
the doctrine OF our industrial invulnera-
bility, but few lines will be devoted to
the more important among them.
Briefly. it is claimed by these persons
that 'by virtue of perfected machinery
the industrial efficiency Of Western ma
tions is incomparabiy greater than that of
the Orient"