New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-30
JAPANESE COMPETITION.
AMERICAN MANUFACTURERS HAVE
TAKEN ALARM.
ATTENTION OF THE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE
CALLED TO THE 81 BJECT-THE INDUSTRIES
WHICH ARE THREATENED-IM
PORTANT AND INTERESTING
STATEMENTS OF FACTS

rress have begun to hear from those OF their con-
stifuents who are manufacturers engaged I'm vari-
Gus branches OF industry on the subject OF Japan
csc competition. and the consequence IS that the
former are devotng considerable attention to II.
When the matter was first publicly brought be-
fore the House Of Representatives at the last ses-
sion II awakened only slight interest. and many
members Of that body seemed not regard 1t as
one of much practical importance. Not
The more carefully and thoroughly the problem
OF equalizing competition between japanese skill.
initiative ability and pacity plus low wages and
other advantages. and American inventive genius
and ability plus high wages. Is studied the more
difficult does its solution appear. and Congressman
are called on with Increasing frequency 10 solve II.
A. already shown in these dispa ,ches. the do
nestle manufacturers Of pottery nave taken the
alarm. and through their Representatives have
formally called the matter TO the attention OF the
Committee on Ways and Means. The same thing
has also been done In behalf OF the manufacturers
Of certain kinds of textiles and the committee has
received from Representative-elect Pearce OF Mis-
souri,. an imposing although incomplete list OF
other manufactures which have obtained a strong
foothod In Japan and the products OF which may
soon be expected TO appear In the markets OF the
United States in competition with similar articles
Of domestic manufacture. In fact. good many
Of them have already done
MADE BY JAPANESE CHEAP LABOR.
Mr.. Pearces list includes brushes of all kinds.
watches, calico and Other cotton goods SILK goods
OF all kinds. steel vessels. engines. mattings in
endless variety wire nails. straw hats. shirts. col
lars. cuffs. carpets. rugs and drusgets. cutlery.
surgical Instruments toilet and other soaps. chemi-
Gals. pottery. bronze wares OF all kinds. shoes.
trunks and handbags. shell work of all kinds.
cabinet organs. bicycles leather and leather goods.
glass beads and articles made Of bamboo. "All
these things" said Mr. Pearce TO the Ways and
Means Committee. "are being made by labor In
odd a a m @
Is cents down to a minimum OF cents day.
did not succeed in finding. throughout long in
vestigation OF the industries of Japan. single
one In which there skilled mechanic paid
equal to % cents day Of our money. That is the
problem that confronts this country"
Mr. Pearce's was not hearsay testimony. Within
the last TWO years he has visited Japan. the East
Indies and China. and his statements were based
upon personal knowledge and observation. Many
Of the articles enumerated In his list he had seen
manufactured in Japan by the cheap labor OF that
country. and all OF them he saw OH exhibition IN
the Kioto Exposition OF 1895.
In the OF his remarks Mr.. Pearce also
called the attention OF the committee 10 another
phase OF the question. lie said: The Gresham
treaty which goes into effect in 1889. enables the
American manufacturer to take his plant and
capital and locate II In Japan. ana there enjoy
nearly a.. the privileges of Japanese citizenship
with reference to the transaction Of business. the
ownership of a plant and also OF corporate stock
"WithOut becoming cltlzeh' dSheu Htihoer
OF the committee
Yes without becoming citizen. That Is one
of the reciprocal provisions OF that treaty" was
the reply.
Mr. Pearce also drew from his pocket and ex-
hibited the committee silver-cased watch
which he said excellent timekeeper. and
was made Osaka Japan. by machinery SINH
lar to that In use in the watch factory at Egln,
III. He said: This watch | have carried for
about year and half had Il examined by two
experts in city. both as 10 its quality and value
In the market. They both admitted that 1t WAS
perfect watch and one said that It was worth
SIS and the other said il worth from $50 10
81 80 in the ST. Louis market. paid for this
watch at retail in the regular course or business
q ven which, reduced 10 our money on the basis
OF exchange which existed at that time. was about
80 60 | can import these watches In lots OF 100
and Law them down at Chicago or 81. Louis after
paving the duty OF % per cent. for about -
apiece
COMPETING WITH AMERICAN MACHINISTS.
William Rutherford OF San Francisco. also ad-
dressed the committee In behalf OF the textile In
dustries OF that and other Pacific States lie Is
manufacturer of jute yarns, burlaps. ETC. lie re-
marked that when the law of 1894 went into effect
there were sixteen woollen mills In operation In
California and now only three were running. Mr..
Rutherford continued: zone OF the largest was
running during the war. and believe 1t made 'he
best blankets in the United States for both the
THY OF goods tina: time. running day and night
Thai mill until a few days ago employed thou-
sand people with about sixty big dye watts ior
dyeIng goods and had an immense plant al BACK
Point. That mill. when the difhcuities were so
dlsheartering and things looked so bad. had been
trading all the time with the japanese. and the
japanese saw this mill and bought II complete
eycept the engine which Was too big. went ana
bought the engine. 9c-horSr,p9wen engine nd
sent eight men there trained me- names anu
machinists. They took down that engihc J went
ana / saw in tina, mill whole crew of Japanese
brough, from Japan in Il steamer Tor the very
thai. and spoke TO them and they took down an
the machinery. tackled al. Of Win labels IN tneir
building away in the steamer. and sent with 1t |
these men who were brought over never nndeT-
country 10 do the work that rIghtfuliy belonged
the machinis,s in our state who are de r ny ONE
instance.
THE COTTON MILLS AT OSAKA
Mr. Rutherford was asked whether any jute mills |
had transferred their plants. and he replied NO;
hui | will state about the mill am Immediately |
connected with have worked in mills since left |
school in the textile industries Of England and |
Scotland and | acquainted with all textile |
Industries and the mill connected with has |
a large cotton department Immediately adjacent TO
the utc plant. Some time age. when our Jute plant
standing Idle. japanese mercnani ABOUT
and capabty to perform whatever contract he |
might make with u.s. oiiei ed US q iaiI PROPOSITION
where since 1882 there have been over sixty cotton
mills buil, but ii considered II would be better
10 Ike our mill 10 Yokohama, where coal 80 |
cents Ton and We could secure labor OF Japanese |
women for sens sen Is about cents. the |
gananese yen only equallIns 50 cents and the silver
Ven Weighing more than an American dollar We |
have A lot OF them coming into California The |
japanese girls would work for about cents. or |
from 10 10 sen. We were told We could get all |
he J,nauese help wanted for % which |
wonId he about T. cents OF our money
A member OF the committee asked: could you
own the mill over there? $50
Wr Rutherford replied: We investigated the
m.r,er 1 am an American citizen and have been
/ an, nroud to say. for many years. and We found
we could not any property there No alien
can own property In Japan and the proposition
,re On, vas 10 be satisfactory because could
make n contract that the Government would be
allied ,ipon 10 enforce. that they would give us =
reasonable amount for the plant when they took
possession which would be about four years after |
il started There Is one peculiarly IN Japan which