Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-12-10
SUPERIORITY.
TIE PRo63EsslVE s?lRr

chilcry.

NEW YORK, December a.-(Speclal)-
Federation to-day the members of the
English delegation of labor representa-
,iYos who came here 10 study economic
conditions as compared with those in
Great Britain. told of their impressions
OF what had been seen. Without a single
American mechanic is far better of than
lis Eng @ish brother
The progressiveness OF the American
Eorklngman Is the great feature at which
The Ensiisnmen marvel. To them it is
SO novel that they can hardly comprehend
They declare, however. our men are
not thorough. They say the American.
mechanic is looking too carefully after
nc Lo!.ar, and doesn't work with the
precision and consciousness that char
aeteiiles the Enelishman. An illustration
is the feeling about American cutlery.
George Barnes SAID:
The cutlery you have in this country IS
abom nable. In FL glano, the poorest
family would not ofer such cutlery 10
a guest. IL shows siipshod workmanship
The knives and forks are of the worst
possible workmanship in these advanced
day Us"
IN this opinion the others agree. but
they all admit that socially. in education
and in independence. the American work
man is far in advance OF the English
man.
These men. since they arrived In Amer
lea. nave travelled all over the United
States. going to every large city. east.
west. forth. south. and even Carada, 10
study the conditions OF the workingman.
They have been more or less under the
guidance of Alfred Moseley. the English
Dfi.anthropist. through whose instrument
.a,ity they We're sent here. he believes
the American is SO far ahead in its man
ufacturi-g proEressiveness that there is
no comparison with other countries.
Mr. MoseIy SAID:
81 have made trips through the West.
and have studied all Industrial condi-
lions from the STANDPOINT Of an English
ran ! was amazed a the wonderful ma
2hil cry. the freedom Of the workman. his
soc.al standing his education. his pro-
cressivencss and his ability TO make al
he money that his two hands will permit
For years the English engineer tried 10
solve the problems OF the gold and dia
non6 mines in Africa. but he did not pro
gress. Company after company failed be-
cause Eng IlS3 engineers We're tict dp4e "
solve the problem at hand.
And then came Gardner Williams. an
American engineer full of vim and viCo-
and American ambition. Others followed
him They had ideas and pushed them
with earnestness. with ne result that we
soon had grand success instead Of
miserable failure.
=, is the same In all industries. Anlert-
can methods are better than English: the
superior by far 10 that in the old country
learned that fifteen years ago when
visited here 10 see why il was that you
pushed to the front SO rapidly.
The lesson ] learned here in that time
was we'll learned / went back to Eng
lard TO tell my friends Of the vastness.
Of the enterprise. of America
believe the adoption Of the piece
work system is largely responsible for the
advancement of the American working
man Tie pncework system makes more
wages for the workingman. and m"r"
u-Cfits for the employer. Goth are salts
fro End iappy.
The freedom granted the American
workman is also q great advantage over
the EngIishnan. His employer wants
!deas. He offers premium for them.
either in money. stock. or promotion
The American Businessman Graves for
>.
~ does too. but few get them from
the,r wo-kmen A workman with 20 idea
nerer gets past the position of foreman.
ana then his suggestion loses him his
Job
MI Mcsely then went on 10 praise
American machinery. Like other mem
hers Of the delegation he Was struck with
the plants of America various indus
tries. In England machinery is regarded
as part Of capital never to be DIS
ca.ded. When they grow cut OF date here
they are SOLD for scrap iron or thrown
overheard. but in England machinery Is
kept doing the same work in the same
olu-fashioned way.
George Barnes. representative Of the
largest labor union in Great Britain is
mead OF the Amalgamated Society Of En-
Eireers numbering "a 900 members. lie Is
the only member OF the combination who
Is not quite sure the American working
man is far better Of than the English
man He admits that wages are higher,
but the difference. he says. is offset by
The hours the man wo-k.
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