Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-01-23
JAP COMPETITION.
Problem the United States Is In.
Yited to Solve.
SOME INTERESTING FACTS STATED

How the Island Empire Manufacturers I'm
dersell Us In Our Own Products-Report
u . Committec Of the Manufacturers
Convention at Chicago-Congress Asked
TO Investigate the Matter and Suggest .
Method Of Meeting tho Situation.
CHICAGO, Jan. 2s.-The Jap was the sub
Ssct Of a report to the convention of man.
manufacturers now in session here, which
showed state of things in relation to
japanese competition in the United States
with articles in which we have thought
ourselves safe. The report says:
Whereas, Articles Of Japanese manu-
eacture have appeared in our eastern cit
les, rivaling and underselling American
articles suitable for similar purposes.
japanese mating is now crowding out
cheaper kinds of Philadelphia carpets.
japanese rugs, made in imitation of Amer
lean patterns, are sold in great quantities
in preference to American rugs of higher
value. Brushes are sold at retail in cast
ern cities for about the American value Of
the manufactured bristlcs. American
watch case makers arc selling to Japan
cases for excellent movements made there,
for this market.
Cheap Labor the Source of Trouble.
"There can be no concealment of the
tact that our manufacturing industries
are greatly mcnaced by this rivalry of q
country where skilled labor may be had
at a cost Of 10 or 10 cents a day, or less
than one.tcnth of the cost of such labor in
our own country. Your committee does
not care to discuss the causes of this
menace or the methods by which the peril
may be averted. We believe that the ma
tiGnal association should, however, take
cogniZance of the matter and should ask
that congress shall investigate the subject
In a thorough and comprehensive man.
ner, SO that the people may thoroughly
understand it. We, therefore, recommend
the adoption Of the following resolution:
Congress Asked to Investigate.
'Resolved, BY the National Association
of American Manufacturers in con-
vention assembled in Chicago Jan. p,
1895, that the senate of the United States
is hereby respectfully requested to ap-
point a commission, or direct one Of it's
own committees to inquire respecting the
alleged invasion of our market and the
| menace offered to American manufac'
turing industry by tho products of cheap
Oriental labor, and to determine what
| Is the cause of this menace and what
means should be adopted to avert the
threatened injury to domestic producers -
Warner Miller offered an amendment
that congress instead of the senate alone
be requested to appoint the commission.
The resolution as amended was adopted
In Favor of the Reciprocity.
A resolution was unanimously adopted
| in favor of reciprocity and the executive
committee was empowered to establish O
| permanent bureau for the dissemination
| of information to our manufactures, and
| to adopt such other measures as it should
| deem necessary to carry out the practical
workings of the associations reciprocity
scheme. Another resolution was adopted
favOring national bankruptcy law, which
will deal cquitably with both debtor and
creditor. Also resolution for the enact
mcnt Of uniform laws in the differen,
states in regard to the payment of fee.
and for the removal of ''other objection
able features" in regard to corporation.
doing business in states other than those
In which they were originally incorpo.
rated.
REPORT Oh the RESOLUTIONS committee.
The committee on resolutions presented
its report declaring emphatically for tn,
home market for home producers; for tn,
largest possible extension of foreign trade
relations; for judicious system of subsi
dies to American shipping to restore ant
extend the merchant marine; for the i'm
provemcnt of natural and artificial water
ways, and for the construction and opera
ton Of the Nicaragua canal under con
troll of the federal government 1t wa.
also recommended that permanent agen
cics be established as may be best calcu
lated to secure the favorable results con
tcmplated by the organization. The re
port was unanimously adopted.