The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-08-03
FRANCE AND HER SILKS.
An Old Industrial Stronghold
Menaced.
Jules Huret lie Figaro.

Jules Huret LIE Figaro
In the course of that gigantic strug-
gle between old Europe and young
America-a struggle which is already
more like a masSacre-the only fort
resses that have not been taken (aside
from the wine trade, which we man
age to hold on to in the face of Ger
man and Californian competition) ire
the production of French fashions and
of French works of art. On this dou-
BILE ground, however narrow the space
1t occupies in the vast realm of COM
merce, we may thank our stars the
Americans don't as yet pretend to show
| fight. And here the Americans are
wise. The fashionable women of New
York smile when you mention the anti
Partisan crusade undertaken by the
local dressmakers, who have perpe-
trated an original, but rather innocent,
species of bluff" AS for the arts of
painting, sculpture and architecture,
and as for the industrial arts, 1t is rot
too much to say that when America
has bought up our masterpieces at
whatever fancy prices we choose to
ask she can do no more than to send
us her best-endowed youngsters and
to attract to herself the least home
French Fashions.
The reign Of French fashions and
French art is all that is left OF the
aforetime supremacy of the old world
in the new continent. Thanks to
French fashions and French art, young
and proud America bows down, In
amazed and impatient expectancy, be-
fore the slow acquisitions Of ages past
and the prowess of a traditional cul-
ture. For Germany and England are
beaten on their own ground; American
machinery and American iron and steel
have invaded Manchester and Dussel-
dorf.
Besides the realms of fashion and
art, there yet remained to French In
dustry two fields in which, several
years ago, 1t could rival the industry
of America; these were the silk trade,
of which we we're undisputed masters,
and the manufacture of motor We
hices, in which we are still without
dangerous competitors. / shall speak
to-day Of the silk industry. The fol-
lowing official figures will serve better
than any words of mine to show you
how colossal has been the development
of America during the past thirty
years. In 1870 the United States had
Sc silk factories, with a capital of &c.
2S5000; twenty years later 4S3 facto-
ries, with capital of 100000; and
In 1902 some 800 factories with a capt.
tai OF 800, 100000. At the end of 1903
the United States will have $4,000 pow
err looms in operation. The value Of
the product amounted in 1870 to co.
000000 francs; in 1900, to 535, 900, 900, and
in 1902, to 625, 700, 900.
still more extraordinary phenome-
nom During the same period the con-
sumption Of silk increased at so rapid
rate that the importation Of silk
from Europe, far from declining,
steadily went on increasing. In 1870
II was valued at 900 francs: In
1900 it had risen to 100000 900, and in
1902 to $50. 900. 000
Silks from Lyons.
Lyons increased its consignments to
the United States every year, despite
the increased customs duties. Though
certain dealers on the Rhone saw their
business with America telling or, the
grand total of Lyonese expectation has
steadily grown. Black velvets, black
taffetas and the niuslins of the prov
lnce of Lyons remain unrivaled In the
market to this very day.
All these figures dance before my
eyes. while ! write In the midst OF the
din that comes IN from the streets.
from the frantic and eeRseless rush OF