Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1897-01-22
THE SPIRIT OF THE PRESS.
THE TARIFF AND JAPAN.

THE TARIFF AND JAPAN.
Striking evidence of the fact that du-
ties will not answer to-day which were
considered just right in 1890 was afforded
at the hearing on Saturday. The won
derful progress of Japan in the various
branches of manufacture within the last
few years has revOlutionzed in some re-
spects the relations between that country
and others. Many articles are now pro.
duced there, including some of import
ance, at cost so low that they can be
sent to this country and largely sold
here, even if they should pay higher
duties than were sufficient seven years
ago to afford ample protection. The
rate of wages in Japan has not yet been
materially raised by the new develop
ment of industries in connection with
modern machinery. Obtaining the fines t
and most effective machinery from this
aud other countries, and employing eX-
perienced men of the highest skill to
superintend the work, japanese manu-
facturers have a practically unlimited
supply of labor in some branches costing
only to IS cents per day. They are al
ready sending to this country large
quantities of products which displace
American labor, and according to ties IL
mony given on Saturday can place here,
duty paid, watches at 50 which experts
pronounce equal to others now costing
S2j, matches at Sl.0G per 100 dozen, duty
paid, brushes, mating, carpets, laces
and leather goods in great variety.
In view of the new spirit of enterprise
aud progress which has swept over
Japan since the victorious war with
China, and in view of the well-known
efforts which are being made and induce
ments offered to secure the removal of
American factories and machinery to
that country with skilled managers and
foremen, it is evident that at some
points the duties which amply sufliced
years ago would not now prevent the
prOstration of American industries. 1t
may be granted that at present the
branches of manufacture thus threatened
are not among the largest, but the move
Went is extending, and it is difficult to
say where it will stop. For some i'm
pOrtant industries the japanese have not
adequate or suitable supplies of material,
as of cotton, which they import increas-
ingly from this country. 1t is also
obvious that after a time the increased
demand for labor in manufacturing will
advance wages in Japan, and perhaps
very largely, but in nation of over 49,
000 900 inhabitants ancient customs are
not instantly changed, and during the
inter mediate years the invasion of Ameri.
can markets by japanese goods may
easily destroy Industries employing a
great number of workers.
That these apprehensions are not
wholly chimerlcal is shown in official
reports. The value of the mating i'm
ported from Japan has come to exceed
100000 in year, and some important
establishments in this country have in
consequence been closed. One of the
oldest iute manufacturing plants in this
country has already been transferred
from California to Japan and the makers
of twine, yarn and burlaps show that
the competition in these is rapidly in
creasIng. The problem here is not to
create q new industry in this country,
but to keep alive some which have been
established and are now threatened With
a new invasion by Asiatic labor armed
with American machinery Unfortu-
nqtely, it seemed good to democratic g-
norance in 1894 to sweep away or reduce
duties on many articles, on the ground
that such duties were no longer neces-
sary, although in some of these this new
competition had then begun. Having
thus offered inducements to japanese
enterprise to procure machinery and
establish plants, the enemies of Ameri-
can industries will next insist that it
would be outrageous to impose duties
higher than were needed in 1890, even
though such higher duties should be
found necessary in order to defend home
industries,
The people of the Pacific coast natural
ly feel strongly on this question, as they
are most directly exposed to Asiatic
competition in their endeavor to build up
those diversified Industries without
which agriculture cannot long be highly
profitable. 1t is to be expected that the
republican committee of ways and
means, after full investigation, will pro-
pose such duties as to compensate for the
difference between American and Japan
csc labor, the relative efficiency of each
being duly considered. A tariff embrace
ing such duties would be with extreme
difficulty and embarrassment opposed by
Senate White of California, or by
other democrats of the Pacific States.
and if so opposed would IN all prob.