The morning times., 1896-06-10
JAPAN NOT YET A MENACE
Mr.. Dlngley Reports on the Threat
ened Coulmercial Inyasion


ened Commercial Invasion.
Mr.. Dingley, OF Maine, chairman of the
Committee on Ways an Means, made re-
port To the House yesterday on the gen
eral subject OF japanese competition up
on American industries.
The report is based on two resolutions
that were referred to the Ways and Means
Committee To determine what legislative
remedy should be adopted to protect Ameri-
can producers from the competition OF
cheap Oriental labor, and also to dis
cover what effect the difference OF ex-
change between gold standard and silver
standa I'd countries has upon our grlculturat
and manufacturing Industries. The report
shows that the Japanese are studying the
methods OF all civilized nations and adopt
ing those most suitable TO their PURPOSES
The report sketches the marvellous ma
terial development OF Japan during the
past twenty years, development which
is due not only to the foregoing reasons,
but to the further reason that the laburers
work twelve hours day at ridiculously
low wages.
Notwithstanding Japan's progress in the
industrial arts. the committee do not find
that any articles of Importance, made by
factory methods in Japan, outside of cheap
silks. andkerchiefs, mattinEs, rugs, etc,
have rs yet invaded the markets of the
United states.
They think it probable that the rapid
introduction of machinery into Japan Will
within a few years make Japanese factory
products more serious competitor i'll our
markets than those OF Great Britain. France
and Germany, for the reason that Japanese
wages are lower than European wages, and
japanese labor likely soon TO become az
effective with machinery as European labor
is.
The committee find but one remedy for
abroad, and that is the imposition OF
duties on such competing imports, equiva-
lent to the cost OF production and diStribu-
ton, arising froHI the fact that the producer
here pays MS employe higher wages aud
thus enables him to maintain better
standard Of living than the foreign manu-
facturer, who seeks to avail himself OF our
market, pays his employees.
Discussing among other important topics
the effect of the difference in exchange
bet ween gold standard and silver standard
countries upon American industries, the
inquiry ba wing particular reference TO
Japanese competition, the committee find
that this difference in the purchasing po wer
Of the dollar Of the two countries gives
the japanese manufacturer no advantage
in purchasing his material
The report adds that whatever advan-
tage an employer OF labor in japan obtains
by being able to pay his employees in silver
at ST % an ounce, bought abroad for 6S
cents an ounce, arises from practical rob-
berry OF the japanese laborer through the
use of deprecated money.
Against the competition of the products
of the lower wage labor OF Japan and
other Oriental Countries, the committee
says, in conclusion, which have introduced
or shall introduce machinery and factory
methods Of production, whatever ma Y have
caused this low wage-a competition which
will i'll part be offset by the inevitable
rise of wages in Japan-Inust be the same
defense as that which from 1861 To 1898
proved SO effective against the competi-
tion OF the products of the lower wage
labor of Europe, viz: Protective duties
or, if need be, the same as is employed
to ward off the competition OF imported
products OF convict labor, viz: Prohibi-
tion Of their Importation.
The Times Real Estate Bureau can Sc
cure tenant for YOUR va ca mt store Quicker