The times., 1898-01-21
DOES DINGLEY DO THIS?
American Manufacturers Compete
Profitably With German.
Old World Industries Confront "A
serious Problem Effect of
Labor Cost.

Some surprising facts about the sue
cessfri competition of American with
European manufacturers are embodied
in a report which has reached the
State Department from Consul General
Mason at Frankfort. The secretary OF
the British Iron Trade Association, Mr.
Jeans, who is an expert Of the highest
authority, is quoted as saying:
Il know of cases where the labor on
a ton of billets and rails is % to 30 pei
cent less in America than the lowest
cost of which i have ever heard in this
country, although the rate of wages
paid in America is materially higher"
Another expert recently visited the
United States to find THE secret Of the
superior quality and eheapnesS of
American factory made shoes. He has
reported TO the German manufacturers
that while the average wage earned by
all classes of operatives in the Amer
lean shoe factories is greater than in
Germany, the net labor cost of pair
of shoes produced is 10 cents. In the
German factories the cost OF labor on a
pair of shoes is 5S cents pair.
Facts like this" Mr.. Mason says
have produced a notable change ia
the attitude of the intelligent manu-
from beyond the sea. Bessemer pig
iron, S2.4S TO $365 less per ton in the
United States has enabled the steel
makers of Pennsylvania to underbid
those of England for the rails and 9TH
er supplies of the London underground
railroad and to place an order for $780,
600 tons of steel rails with the British
East Indian government.
Three years ago German manufac-
+,,f-ay-c Of hiaN-plaS and cpINifln machines
thought that, if il was not for the tar
iff, they could sell their goods in the
United States. Now American bicycles
have so successfully invaded all parts
of Germany that the manufacturers of
that country are demanding special
high duty on American wheels as es-
sential to their future existence.
Bridge builders of Belgium and Great
Britain were astonished recently to
find a contract for an important bridge
in Holland taken from them by
Philadelphia company.
There has been in session council of
specialists at Berlin 10 consider now
the industrial interests of Germany
shall meet American competition. The
''uneXampled economy and efficiency
OF American railway transportation
was noted as a factor which puts Ger
many at a disadvantage.
In the convention of iron and steel
makers at Cologne. Director Schroeder
said: THE German iron and steel in
dustry may claim that in respect To
technical capacity il is not behind that
OF the great American plants, and as
we must not resort to wage reduction
save in the last extremity the only
means CT relief is in lower freights.
Without substantial help by this
means the German iron and steel in
tsastry will not be able to maintain its
export trade, much less increase ii.
BY far the most significant sign of
tire time, the consul general thinks, is
the rapidly increasing popularity of
American-made machinery and tools
in Germany. He mentions number
of American companies which have re-
Gently established agencies for the sale
of machines and tools in Germany.
Iron and wood working machines from
the United States are being adopted
by the German manufacturers. A def
mite demand for American pig iron has
arisen in Germany.
1t has been demonstrated" conn
nsents Mr.. Mason, that, under intel
ligent, progressive management, high
ly paid labor especially when employ
ed to use complicated machinery, is,
after all, the cheapest, and that, in tbs
race for supremacy, the inert, con-
gested population Of the old world have
been in many cases left behind by the
people who more than any other, have
reduced economy of labor to an exact
science"