The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1896-07-10
A MENACE TO LABOR.
ANALYSIS OF JAPANESE INDUSTRIAL
COMPETITION.

Effect of Different Currency on American
wageworisers- Days Work Equals a
Days Work Everywhere-But Pay Rolls
Must BE Protected.
Examining the direct bearing of ia
pans trade with the United States, we
find that in 1894 we sold to that coun-
try only SO, 1910, 40 of our goods, while
buying SEE, COS, 367 of theirs, the trade
balance being nearly SIG, 800, 900 in
their favor.
The articles of tea, raw silk and mat
ting constitute $15, 500, 900 of the above
total, leaving So, 500, 900 of other goods
that we bought from Japan, many of
them being luxuries of a peculiarly
oriental character. The value of these
goods is according to our gold standard,
whereas it represents practically double
that value according to the Japanese
currency, which, with '.gold the nomi-
nal standard" as the March report of
the bureau of statistics tells us, silver
is practically the standard. +" The last
value quoted Of the japanese silver yen
was SO. 2 cents in terms of the United
States gold dollar Therefore the &c.
500, 600 of miscellaneous articles that
we imported in 1894 represented ap-
proximatcly $4,000, 600 in Japanese
currency.
On Jan. 18, 1895, the average wages
in. Japan per day of ten hours in %
different classes of skilled labor and
Of common labor was below 20 cents.
Since then wages have advanced,
and we are now authoritatively in
formed that 80 cents q day would be
fair average, except for machinists,
who get 81 day in gold. We are fur
Their informed that fully 70 per cent Of
the value Of their exports to the United
States represents the labor cost in the
production of those goods which they are
now sending u.s. This gives us $4,875,-
900 paid in Japanese wages, which, at 80
cents per day, afforded employment
for fully 10000, 600 men for one full
days work of ten hours, even allowing
for the small number of mechanics en-
ployed at the higher rate. Surprising
that all Of these miscellaneous goods
could have been made in the United
States or that. when Japan's manufac-
turing industries have progressed, we
shall import such a Quantity of goods
that directly supplant the product of
our own mills, what will the effect be
upon American labor?
1t is well known that the Japanese
workman is no fool. He is quick to
learn, active in operation and thorough
in effectiveness. We have been unable
to ascertain definitely whether Japa-
nese workman is able to produce as
good and as great results as an Ameri-
can wage Garner but, giving the Jap
anese equal facilities in the way of
machinery and appliances, which he is
buying from us, and we believe that
the product of the Japanese will COM
pare favorably with that of Americans,
man for man.
Let us, however, say that he is not
as good q workman in all classes of la
Dor by 20 per cent, and let us admit for
the sake Of argument that the days
work of 10000, 900 Japanese can be
equaled by that of 800, 900 Americans,
then what is the result? The work done
by 10000, 900 japanese at 30 cents per
day, upon products that we can manu-
facture, takes the place of work done by
z, 500, 900 Americans at 81. 80 per day.
1t costs them 1876, 600 for labor in
their money to make goods that would
cost us at least $11 1875, 600. American
labor would lose this amount of en-
ployment unless protected by tariff
that would represent the difference be-
tween their daily wages of 35 cents and
ours at $3.50. Yet there are some Re-
publicans who pretend that the McKin-
lev tariff rains wore roo biuh