The Washington times., 1902-09-14

Hardwsre T. Ashton, of the Anlalsa-
mated Association CT Operative Cotton
| spinners; T. a. Flynn, OF the Amalga-
! mated Society of Tailors; ". d. Horn
idse, of the National Union of Boot and
shoe Operatives; H. Eam of the Ma
tional Amalgamated Furnishing Trades
| association; G. j. LHpping. of the Anal
ganl5ted Society OF Leather Workers; II.
Skinner, representing the Typographical
Association and the Londcn Society OF
Composi.ors: G.. d. Kelley, Of the Anal
samated Society of Liihogra phic Print
ers; W. Coffey, of the London Consoll-
dated Society of Journeymen Bockbind-
ers; and w. Dyson, of the Amalgamated
Paper Makers
Employers Left Out.
1t was originally intended that GER
tam number of employers should also
be invited, but on further consideration
his idea was abandoned, since it was
thought wiser TO leave the trades unions
delegates entirely unhampered, and to
avoid anything that might present ever
a remote semblance of imposing tho
views of employers upon them.
On the return of the commission a
series OF reports will be published. writ
ten by the delegates. each from his own
point OF view entirely, but no attempt
VIII be made at a joint report. 1t may
be added that the commission is strict
iy non political. and that Mr. Mosely is
ANXIOUS for it's Inquiries to be as unre-
stricted and comprehensive as possible !
SO that it may be in position to judge |
both of the weakness and OF the strength |
OF American methods.
An English newspapers writer, COM
menting on the proposed work of the
commission. says.
Perhaps the fundamental point which
Mr.. Mosely hopes the members of ths
commission will realize as result OF
"hat they see and hear is that the Unit
ed States is an industrial competitor
"nich this country cannot afford to ig
nore- There are people who hold that !
the danger of American competition has
Deen grossly exaggerated, or who ever
deny that ii exists al all as factor IN
the Industrial situation, and this atti-
tude unfortunately is seduIously fos-
tered by certain organs that profess 20
Pay particular attention to the Interest,".
of labor
stock argument is that the ex-
ports of manufactured articles from the
united States are small compared with I
those from Great Britain. This state
ment is true enough, and If It were the
whole truth there might not be much
ground for apprehension. But it is only
part of the story. The really signif-
cant thing is the change which has cor/
over the character of American exports
and the rate at which one particular sec
ton of them is growing.
Proportions Altering.
Twenty years ago agricultural produce
formed something like so per cent of the
total. and manufactured articles ac-
counted for cnly about IA per cent; but
since that time the proportions have
been gradually altering, especially dur
ing the last FIVE or six years. until in
the period covered by the three years
lS99-1901 the proportion of manufactured
articles had risen to nearly 80 per cent
CT the whole, and agricultural products
accounted for less than 64
This does not mean that the abso-
lutte quantities of agricultural products
sent out of the United States have fallen
off. for they are as large as ever. but
that there has been an enormous expan-
sion in the amount of the exports, due
mainly to increased shipment of manu-
featured articles. which. in fact, were
Of the average annual value of G31 ,9Ga,-
300 in the period 1SS9-ls91 of cal ,4G0,-
00D in 1S94-96, and of C SO. goo, eco in 1899
1901. These figures are sufficient to show
The increasing Importance of the United :
States as seller in the markets of the ,
world. and it is noteworthy fact that i,
ler advance in this respect is proceeding
at an acralnratins- rafe ,,