The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-03-04
CONGRESS TAKES HOLD
Dangers to American Manu-
facturers.
JAPAN IS MAKING INROADS.
The American Workman's Position.
Japanese Absorbing Industries-The
Relations Between Silver and Gold.
Commission May Investigate.

WASHINGTON, FEB. 18.-Repre-
sentative Newlands of Nevada pre-
scented to the House today a resolu-
ton, which was adopted, instructing
the Ways and Means Committee to
inquire what effect the difference of
exchange between gold and silver
standard countries has upon manu-
featuring industries. He followed
with speech on the same lines in
which the subject of Japanese compe-
titiOn was treated at great length in a
recent issue of the Chronicle. New
lands Is said to believe that the only
proper way to get at all the desirable
facts in this matter and affords a basis
for most profitable legislation will be
through commission to be sent, per-
haps, to Japan. He is strongly de-
SirOus that Congress shall be put in
touch with California sentiment in
this matter through memorials and
resolutions coming from business
men.
81 wish to state that this resolution
is prompted by the action of the
Chamber of Commerce of San Fran
cisco, which in the resolutions passed
called the attention of the country and
of Congress to the invasion of manu-
featured products from Oriental coun-
iAACoI oP1hB 1hh
upon Congress to prevent this disas
tTOus competition with American in
dustries," said Mr.. Newfands. -"On
the Pacific Coast we have felt the
effects of various phases OF the Oriental
competition. At first the opposition
of California to Chinese immigration
was regarded as a coarse expression of
race prejudice. Gradually tue entire
country came to the conclusion that
race preservation demanded that legis
latiOn should be secured which would
cut off the ruinOus com petition of
Chinese labor in California and the
adjacent States. We found there that
whatever industry they attacked they
absOI bed. They attacked the industry
of fruit culture, and absorbed it; they
attacked the industry of cigarmakers,
and absorbed that. Wherever they.
attacked an industry they absolutely
drove out the competition of Ameri-
can labor.
"If an article manufactured in Japan
for SIP in silver is sold in San Fran
that $12 in gold, turns it into $24 in
silver, pays the cost of production, $12
in silver, pays the duty aud freight,
and has profit of $4 or S.. There is
the same competition with reference
to matches, lamps, hats, brushes, rugs
and other products of that country.
"The fall in exchange between sill
yer and gold has thus resulted in
doubling the efficiency of the cheap
labor of silver standard countries in
its competition with the labor of gold
standard countries. We have a tariff
wall which in q measure protects US
from the cheaper labor of European
gold standard countries, but no tariff
wall can be made sufficiently high TO
keep out the products of silver stand
ard countries which, measured in
gold, cost only One-half of what they
used to.
"The only relief is to be found in
combined tariff and financial 'legis
lation, the former raising the tariff
wall a little higher and the latter in
creasing the value of silver by increas
ing it's use, and thus increasing or
doubling the labor cost of silver stand
ard countries as measured in gold.
We are now feeling the competition
of European countries. The competi
ton of the Orient is about to attack
our manufactured products, as it has
for years attacked our agricultural
products. trust the Ways and Means
Committee will devise legislation
which will deprive that competition
of half of it's effectiveness"