New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-05-11
AN ORIENTAL INVASION.
COME FACTS ABOUT THE REMARKABLE
INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT
OF JAPAN.
CHEAP LABOR AND WONDERFUL "h''''>''''''
AND INITIATIVE GENIUS MAKE THE JAP
ANEsE RIVALS TO BE FEARED BY
AMERICAN AND EUROPEAN
MANUFACTURERS.


AMERICAN AND EUROPEAN
MANUFACrURERs
[lY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRlBrNE'I
Washington. May Io.-Accoriing to the san ran
cisco Chamber OF Commerce ana other au'hori'es
the United States is threatened with another OF
entail invasion This time It will not be an In
vason OF Chinese cheap labor. but OF Manufactured
nroducts OF the cheap labor Of Japan. The san
Francisco people took alarm some months ago. ana
the Chamber of Commerce Of that city passed Teso-
lr,ors calling the attention OF the country ana OF
Congress TO 1.-THE invasion OF manufactured products
from oriental countries, particularly Japan. ana
demanded that action be taken Ito prevent 'hiS us
astrous competition with American Industries
In the course OF come remarks In the House Oh
REPRESENTATIVES, on the subject OF thee resolutions
A. No,v,ands Of Nevada said: Recently an
American firm of h!gh standing In Japan has e9ab-
,shcI an agency IN Francisco, ana IS engaged
In selling all t.- various products OF 'aP""ese
manufacture. There IL scarcely anythhS that -
manufactured in america that Is not ihc'uuen !"
tho catalogue OF Japanese products-waiches'
bicycles rugs carpets, cotton, wooHsh anu SIN
goods. and almost every other form OF product
rhey have been pu, upon the market at such low
nrices AS 10 absolutely defy competition from the
rrol,cilon OF American manufacturers. Bicycles
are pu, down and sold in san Francisco AT SlZ
apiece and am told that they are equal 10 inc
BICYCLES made In this country
Mr. Mercer. 0, Nebraska, who spent some time in
J,n,n last summer EXPIRE seed doubt as 10 whcther
bicycles were yet mads IN Japan, but added that
he though, they soon would be made there. and
that the japanese could make them FOR song
Mr. Mercer continued: II met MIR. Butler. a clta'h
o.. San Francisco. at Yokohama with a watch made
al Osaka. II was a go.d-nllei case. and WAS tod
that they were made for about 81 piece The
japanese can make anything no matter how com
pick providing they have original 10 copy. 40
,m,ators they have no equals. and The future has
IN store Tor great danger from Japap 4 We DO
not revise our tarin along Republican lines"
That discussion in the House OF Representatives
took place February IL. and 1t now appears maj
only a few DAYS before. February :. Consul Con-
molly q, Osaka and Hiogo. was busy with the
preparation OF report on United States trade with
Japan which Will soon be published by the state
Department. and which throws some light on the
same subject. lie described the merchants. manu-
facurcrs and everybody else engaged In trade or
employed In industries Of any description In that
country az making the very best use OF the time
before the going into operation of the new treaties
in borrowing nj lbtum the products On tho
shane 81 lsooi saving appsnces) OF the Inventive
genius ~ the people Of the United States. ana or
every other nati0n for use IN the workshops OF the
Empire" and declared that they would return
the results In merchantsble goods 20 the people
OF the nations from whom hey are now borrowing
at prices which vii make competition an exceed
ingy difficult problem TO solve
The Consul quotes from British trade report this
significant statement: "One OF the many advantages
enjoyed by the Japanese materially aiding the rapid
and economical development OF their inventions. Is
that foreign patents arc not protected When a
machine patented elsewhere, Is purchased. II Is not
infrcQuently initiated. and an article equally as good
for all practical purposes is turned out AT less than
half the cost 1t is not Improbable that when,
under revised treaties the patent laws become APP
pcabe TO foreigners. there Will be little or nothing
10 claim protection Tor.
excel. according to Consul Connolly, arc those OF
sik. jute. cotton. clay iron straw In The shape Of
lain curios Of cvery description. toys surgical m
st. fi hat II sSa ean 10 ha sIs be- Tor
delcacy Of dongn and quality Of ,emper There IS
duction of manufactured articles OF every deacrp
ucn and the daily wage paid for mining and I'M
may DO termed raw materials viii average about
ten cent? nte1 satss e%rens ara 1nS PAID for
sYp@s "ns ss sN rom f n5oa % 'ps
Japan from he United States shrunk from bHlNS
was an 70 Of abS & OF h ,s Imports ports
into japan from all other countries Consul Con-
The only conclusion that can be arrived at. after
a careful application OF the figures and facts
Empire is that the Japanese are devoid OF sentl-
men, in matters OF trade. TO the extent at
markets that pay the best prices for them and
/ pUrchast such commodities they in
markets that sell them the cheapest far they
are able to determine that fact from the tenders
made FOR their trade by the agents OF the several
competing markets. II - also evident that, far
a. the people Of the United States concerned,
they do not appear to be competitors for the trade
| OF japan any appreciate extent, but are pur-
chascrs and consumers Of nearly one-half Of all
| OF japan become more proficient In the mocha Mica
arts their trade with the American people must
Increase as the United States IL the nearest avail
| able market for the sale OF such merchandise as
advancement In such arts will lead them produce
Being perfectly cognizant OF those facts they are
using available means TO enable them to trade
directly and 70 this end are educating their stu
dents In the English language and sending those
qualified TO transact business not through middle
men, but directly with our merchants and manu-
| facturers.
In the same line liz the following excerpt from
report OF Minister Dun. dated Tolho, November e.
| 1885,
The greatest competition that not only American,
but European manufacturers well, have 10 fear
In Japan Is the growth of home manufacturing in
dnsries here With an almost unlimited supply Of
nifcent water>power throughout the country there
IL every indication that. In the future. the man
ufacturing interests OF Japan Will increase enor
rnous.y. Inquiries are constnntly being received
OF starting manufactures Of almost every kind with
foreign capita. and management. Eistng treaties at
present close japan TO foreign enterprise OF this
Kind. but when the new treaties come into opera tion
There Will be nothing 10 prevent American and Euro
pean capitalists from availlng themselves OF the ex-
| every line of manufacture.
CULTURE OF POLITICAL TIMBER.