The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1897-04-03

ATTENTION Dy reason OF IIlelr ndnuSOiHo ue-
sign and fine finish, and the Empress of
Russia ordered a supply of those Ameri-
can Administers for two of the imperial
palaces in St. Petersburg. This, it's said,
is an exceptional case, as, outside of GER
tain special lines, it is impossible for
America to compete with Europe in the
standard grades Of carpets.
Fully 50 per cent. of the carpets used
in America are woven in this country.
From SIS, 600, 900 to $40, 900, 900 of
capital and about 20, 900 operatives are
employed in the carpet-making industry
in the United States. Foreign stufs cut
very trifing figure in this trade.
In the lower priced grades of tapestry,
Brussels, and velyets, 26, 600 yards day
are turned out at one factory. Every day
in the different mills of the plant is used
so, 600 pounds of raw wool, which, after
being washed, cleansed, and spun, is re-
duced to about 33, 600 pounds of yarn.
There is sort of irrepressible conflict be-
tween the wool growers and the carpet
manufacturers on the subject of the wool
tariff The sheep farmers complain bit
terly of the losses they have suffered
through the free wool clause of the Wilson
bill, and will be on hand at the extra ses-
sion of Congress to demand that wool be
restored to the dutiable list. They ask for
a tariff of s cents pound on unwashed
wool. This would almost double the cost
of the wool used in carpet weaving The
60, 900 pounds used each day in the fac
tory referred to is almost exclusively for
eign wool of the coarsest grades, such as
donskoi, from Russia; Scotch fleece, China,
and Cordovan woods, the latter being grown
in South America American wool is not
and cannot be used to advantage in car
pets. 1t is too fine for that purpose, and
would mat and pack under foot. Only
the coarser woods give the requirite springy
effect, and the higher the grade of carpet
the coarser the wool must be. Inasmuch
as carpet woods must in any case be i'm
ported, the carpet manufacturers oppose
the high rate of duty asked by the wool
growers, the only effect of which, it is
claimed, would be to increase the cost of
every yard of carpet woven in this country
without increasing by single pound the
amount of American wool used in carpets.
The carpet men present plausible argu-
ment in favor of moderate tariff on the
foreign woods, and urge that the American
wool grower can with much greater profit
devote himself to raising the higher grades
of wool that are used in the manufacture
of clothing and other lines of woollen and
worsted goods.
If American wool is not in demand for
carpets, vast quantity of other American
products are used At the mills referred
to in one week there are consumed go, 600
pounds of cotton yarn, 45, 600 pounds of
linen yarn, partly made of native fax
100, 600 pounds of jute yarn, all spun in
this country, and Is, 900 pounds of flour,
which serves as the medium for conveying
the colors to the yarns, and is then washed
out with the aid Of 7 1000 pounds of soap
and Is, 900 pounds of starch.
Ingram carpets of superior quality and
design are extensively made in America
and are able to hold the home market
against foreign goods of the same grades.
1t is here that the low priced mattings
from China and Japan furnish the most
injurious competition. When the choice
is between a mating at 10 cents yard
and an ingram carpet at from 90 to 70
cents the lower priced stuff largely carries
the day, and a marked decrease in the an
nual consumption of ingram carpeting is
the result.
American silk stufs for draperies and
purposes are able to defy
foreign competition. The silk weaving in
dustry of the United States has developed
greatly along these lines An incident
which serves to illustrate the progress
achieved in the production of fabrics of
rich and costly character occurred in a
large house which was visited by the re-
porter in search of information as to the
relative merits and values of domestic and
goods As the reporter entered
the upholstery and drapery department
two gentlemen, representing an important
concern in France, were
some handsome silk goods.
"That is French, said one, as he han
died piece of crimson brocatelle.
Eyes, said his associate, imported
stuff.
''On the contrary, gentlemen, y said the
salesman in charge of the department,
that piece is Oldham, woven in Pater
SON.
The two expert importers looked at the
piece more closely, and again declared it
to be French goods. They were assured
of their error, but remained incredulous to
the end. They are probably still of the
same opinion, though the fact is that the
silk, which sells for So yard, is of Amer
lean manufacture and equal to anything
French loom could turn out in that line of
fabrics.
.sThese goods are much better than the
silks that we can sell at the same
prices. was the statement of the expe-
rienced man in charge of the silk depart
ment. Heretofore, he added, the
Frenchmen have supposed it impossible for
America to weave the heavier and finer
grades that are known as 'six-shuttle'
goods. Such is not the case Our mills
are now producing precisely these grades,
and of such excellence as to deceive the
Frenchmen themselves into the belief that
they are imported goods. a very large
of the drapery and upholstery
silks used IN the best homes in the United
States are woven in this country, and they
are all of superb style and quality, whether
damasks, brocatelles, aubusson, silk or
wool tapestry, armures, or whatever the
style or price. There is still some demand
for imported stufs from people who find it
hard to believe that American goods are
equal to the best made anywhere and who
are willing to pay fancy prices for articles
made in Europe. But in the main the
public has come to understand that it can
safely patronize home industries in house
hold decorative materials and the nercent