The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-06-10
Chairman Dingley Of the Ways
and Means Committee
Reports on the Menace to Amer
lean Manufacturers Of
JAPANESE PRODUCTS.
Some Kind of Protection Must
BE Had, He Says.
international Monetary Agree
ment lis Suggested.

Washington. June 1o.-Chairman
Dingley, of the house ways and means
committee has made a report on the
menace to American manufacturers
by the threatened invasion Of the cheap
products of Oriental labor, and upon
the effects of the difference of legisla-
ton between gold standard and silver
standard countries upon United States
manufacturing and agricultural, these
questions having been Investigated by
the committee.
The report says the sudden awaken
ing Of Japan from the Oriental slum-
Der of centuries is being followed by
an equally rapid westernizing Of her
methods of industry; that while the
japanese do not have the inventive
faculty of Americans or even of Euro
peans, their initiative faculties are
wonderful Their standard of living
would be regarded as practically star
walton by the WOrkmen of the United
States, and their hours of labor aver
age u a day. Such skilled Workmen
as blacksmiths, carpenters, tailors and
plasterers receive in japanese cities
only from rs to 80 cents, and factory
operatives to 20 cents per day in our
money, and nearly double those in Jap
anese silver money, while farm hands
receive $1.44 per month. Europeans
and Americans, says AIr- Dingley, are
recognizing the profita BILE field afforded
for investments and factories, and he
adds, ''Sixty-one cotton mills. con-
trolled ostensibly by japanese compan-
les, but promoted by Europeans and
several small silk factories are in Oper-
alton with something over half a mil
lion spinners. Japan is making most Of
the cotton goods required to supply the
narrow wants of her own people, and is
beginning to export cheap silk fabrics
and handkerchiefs.
Recently a watch factory with Amer
lean machinery was tablished by
Americans although the stock is held
in the names of Japanese as foreigners
viii not be permitted to carry on man
ufacturing in their own names until
1885, and the progress made indicates
that the enterprise viii prove sue
cess.
while your committee has never
found that any articles of Importance
made by the factory methods in Japan
outside of cheap silks. handkerchiefs,
mattings, rugs, etc. have as yet invad-
ed the markets of the United States,
1t is prObab bic the rapid Introduction Of
machinery into Japan viii within
few years make japanese factory pro-
ducts. and probably fine cottons, silks
and other articles in which the labor
cost here is an important element in
production a more serious competitor,
ia our markets than the products of
Great Britain, France and Germany
have been, simply for the reason the
Japanese wages are lower than Euro
pean wages and Japan labor likely
soon to become as effective with ma
@hinery as European labor.
This result viii be cOunteracted
somewhat by the Inevitable tendency of
contact with civilization. to improve
the standard of living and consequent
ly the wages of the japanese work
men"
According to Mr.. DingIey the com
petition viii differ not in kind. but in
degree. from European competition.
The committee reports that it knows
no remedy outside of the absolute pro
hlbitIOn enforced against convict labor
goods. except the imposition of duties
1 on competing goods equivalent to the
difference of cost and distribution. An
argument for this policy is made it be-
ing said to accomplish a double pur-
pose, the collection Of revenue to sup
port the government and the placing
of competition in our markets on the
basis of our higher wages. This is said
to be not for the benefit of the manu-
facturer in this country for he has
only to go to England or Japan to
place himself on the same basis as he
is placed here under duties on compel
ing imports equivalent to the difference
Of wages here and there, but to secure
to all the people the benefits which
come from home rather than foreign
production.
As to whether the fact that one dol
lar Of this country or the silver pur-
I chased by this dollar viii exchange for
nearly two Japanese yen, (dOlIars) gives
( the manufacturer of cotton for exam
pie, in Japan, an advantage additional
to that caused by the conditions all
ready discussed in the markets Of this
Mr. Dingley says" Clearly. the man
ufacturer i'm Japan is in this respect at
a disadvantage, tor his cotton comes
( Haana
must pay not only the freight but ad-
ditional charge, risks of the ductua-
! tons of exchange resulting from the
fact that Japan does not have the mon
world He obtains no advantage by
the sale of his goods in the terms of
/ contrary, loses something by this brol-
erage-
The only way in which he can OBJ
tain any advantage must be through
the failure of the wages of labor in
Japan to rise as much as the yen has
/ deprecated i'm its relative value to gold
since 1873; while wages in the United
states since 1873 have doubled as esti-
mated in silver and have even risen Is
per cent.
Manufacturing wages in the United
states are Is per cent higher in pur-
chasing power than quarter of a cen
fury ago in consequence Of the fact
the labor cost of production in Japan
is largely diminished, while the labor
cost of production in the United States
has been increased, except as counter
acted by a larger use of Iabor-saving
devices. 1t is claimed. however not
withs landing the wages of the Jana
I nese labOrer have not risen a s the silver
yen of Japan has been deprecated as
/ compared with that of gold. yet that
/ his wages viii stiu buy as many Jap
luese products as they would twenty
/ three years ago. Tit IS evident that so
4 far as the japanese people consume
1 foreign products they must pay nearly
+ twice as much for thems either IN their
own productions or ln their own money
1 as they would nav Az thew were nor on