Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1897-06-10
Foreign Use of American Labor Saving
Machinery.
Philadelphia Record.l

Philadelphia Reeordl
The American Machinist, representative
paper in the business which it exploits,
dispatched one of its editors TO England
especially to investigate the subject OF I'M
portations into that country and the Con
tinent of Europe of American machine
tools. The first installment of his report
appeared on May. Is, and the second on
May 20. Both Of these long letters contain
much information: and we refer those OF
our readers who are especially interested
in the subject thereto. We prefer not to
spoil the meat of the articles by cutting off
small pieces
The Iron Trade Review of May 20 has
an editorial on MACHINERY Export"
which quotes Cleveland manufacturer as
stating that American automatic machinery
has been extensively purchased in France,
but that the workmen are incompetent to
use it properly; and this is serious ditfi
Guilty which American labor-saving tools
have to encounter abroad. The foreign
mechanics lack the intelligence required
to operate these machines; and this incl
dentally furnishes an answer to the state
ments sometimes made by philanthrophists
and theorists, that automatic machinery is
detrimental to the intellectual advance
ment of the mechanic.
During the Columbian Exposition a
party of distinguished foreigners visited a
large machine shop in this city. One
gentlemen was a manager of an important
gun manufacturing establishment abroad.
Presently he pointed to a certain automatic
machine, and said: "Ah! We have two
from your house. Very good tools.
The machine was then put into operation.
and soon this gentlemen displayed lively
interest and great establishment at its per-
Torrance. Ah," said he, ''it is not the
same. This one does all the work itself.
How long since this wonderful improve
ment was invented?" On further eX-
animation it was found that his machines
were precisely of the same design, but
certain attachments sent with them, and
fully explained in the circulars, which
made them automatic and added tenfold
to their daily value, had never been
employed in the foreign shops because the
workmen did not understand how to use
the Yankee gimcracks! Yet the foreman
thought they were good.
A recent issue of the National Industrial
Review contained an article, headed
" American Machinery Abroad" written
by traveller who had spent three months
in going through the mechanical establish
ments of England and the Continent, who
reports that he carried samples to show of
some light machinery, and in two weeks
he took $4,000 worth Of orders. He says:
SIN England 1 found the manufacturers
ripe and ready for American machinery"
The United States Consul at Client,
Belgium H. P. Norris, states in his latest
report that American labor-saving machin-
cry is taking the lead in all branches of
industry in the country, in spite of the fact
that arrangements for exhibiting and sell
ling in competition with English, German,
French and other manufacturers in sadly
inadequate. He makes the practical sug
gestion that European distributing
center for American machinery should be
established, and says that neutral ground
should be selected, on which French, Ger
man and other nationalities could meet
without any feeling of jealousy. For such
reason he selects Brussels as the most
suitable location.
These references to the recent articles
appearing in trade journals will suffice to
show the drift of opinion in the best in
formed circles toward the views which
1.-THE Record" has been advocating in the
interest of American manufactures. We
are convinced that those who are unable
to adapt their methods to the changed con-
ditons ofbusiness will gradually fall behind
in the race-as, indeed, we regret to say,
has already Happened with some of our
oldest esfa blishmanfz