Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1904-06-23
SILK MAKING IN JAPAN.
Done Almost Entirely by Women and
Girk-Ameriean
Imports.

At the beginning Of the Japanese-Rus
so war it was predictedin Lyons that the
outbreak of hostlities would be accom-
panied by an immediate rise in the price
Of raw silk, as Japan produces and ex-
ports about one-twelfth of the raw silk
consumed In the world. As China is near
the scene Of hostilities and, it was sur.
missed. might be involved in the war il
was feared that the exports from that
country might also be suspended, there
was, as a consequence, some uneasiness
in the minds Of the dealers in that article
The aggregate silk product Of the world
is about 100000 pounds. The an
nual value of this product is. in round
numbers, s154, 400, 900. About 100000
pounds of this silk come from Japan
and If that country were blockaded OF
the production suspended the shortage
in raw silk would be very detrimental tc
business. But thus far the war has &C.
casioned no change whatever in the silk
market Japanese merchants, knowing
that their silk vas as good as bank
notes, were in no hurry TO sell, except
in a few isolated cases where individuals
desired to contribute to the war fund
A large part of the crop was exported
before the outbreak of hostilities and as
It is carried in neutral ships there will be
no danger Of any difficulty in exporting
what remains to the markets of Europe |
The work Of producing the raw silk is al |
most entirely done by women and girls |
They gather the mulberry leaves. pre-
pare them, feed the worms, and reel the
silk from the coSoons. If need be they |
can put the raw silk in bales and prepare |
II for shipment As the women are not
in the army II is not likely that hostili-
ties win in any way interfere with the
production of silk. The only event IN
which the silk product of Japan could be
withheld from the market would be the
bloCkading Of her ports.
Within the last month Lyonnese mer.
chants have agitated the subject Of i'm.
posing a duty on manufactured silk
from Japan. The purchases of this silk
from Japan now foot up to about S.. 790-
600 annually, and it is proposed TO i'm
pose upon 1t a protective duty of about
$3.50 per kilogram t75 cents per IL
pounds. When these goods are received
here from Japan they are dyed and
printed and reexported, large quantities
1f them going to the United States. They
consist generally Of pongees, tussah and
,orah. These goods could all be dyed
IN the United States. The new duty, al.
though to be RENTED when the Japan
csc goods are reexported, viii, neverthe-
ess, cause some inconvenience and De.
ay. The shippers would like to avoid
his If possible, and if their japanese
'ilks could be dyed in the United States
{ would save them one reshipment and
he delay caused in paying the duties
md in having them refunded upon trans.
shipment to the United States. tseems
o me that, with our better machinery
md more skillful workmen. we might
I've these goods as cheaply as the
french. French manufacturers who
ave silk mills in the United States as.
ure me that an American workingman
viii do three times as much work in
lay as Frenehman. They say our men
re more active. Women who have
lived here and employed French dress
makers in their homes assure me that
n American dressmaker will do three
II four times as much work in day as
French girl The dyers and printers
i Lyons are emphatically opposed to
he proposed duty and may succeed in
efeating it; but if It should be imposed I
can see no reason why our people
hould not take advantage of il. =
JOHN c. COVERT.