The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-04-22
WAR AND SILK INDUSTRY.
Report from Consul John Covert at
 Lyons, France.

Washington, April 21.--(Special.)- Apprehension that there would be much less doing in the silk business because of the war between Russia and Japan. the latter being a producer of high-class silk semes not just now to be warranted. A communication on the subject comes from United States Consul John Covert, at Lyons. France. which the Department of Commerce and Labor to-day publishes as bulle- tin. as follows:
 At the beginning of the Japanese Russo war 1t was predicted in Lyons that the outbreak of hostilities would be accompanied by an immediate rise in the price of raw silk. as Japan pro- duces and exports about one-twelfth of. the raw silk consumed in the world. As China is near the scene of hostili- ties and. it was surmised. might be in- volved in the war. 1t was feared that fthe exports from that country might also be suspended, there was, as a consequence. some uneasiness in the minds of the dealers fin that article. The aggregate silk product of the world is about 111,000.000 pounds. The annual value of this product is.. in round numbers, s154.400.000. About B. 100000 pounds of this silk come from Japan, and if that country were block
 
 shortage in raw silk would be very detrimental to business. But thus far the war has occasioned no change whatever in the silk market. Japan ese merchants, knowing that their silk was as good as bank notes. were in no hurry to sell, except in a few iso- lated cases where individuals desired to contribute to the war fund. A large part of the crop was exported before hn l. ,f hnC ,A fu carried in neutral ships there will be no danger of any difficulty in export ing what remains to the markets of Europe. The work of producing the raw silk is almost entirely done by wo- men and girls. They gather the null berry leaves, prepare them, feed the worms, and reel the silk from the CO., coons. If need be they can put the raw silk in bales and prepare 1t for shipment. As the women are not in the army it Is not likely that hostili- ties will in any way interfere with the production or exportation of silk. The only. event in which the silk pro- duct of Japan could be withheld from the market would be the blockading of her ports.
 Within the last month Lyonnese merchants have agitated the subject of imposing duty on manufactured silk from Japan. The purchases of this silk from Japan now foot up to about $5.- 100000 annually, and it Is proposed to impose upon 1t protective duty of about $1.50 per kilogram t75 cents per II pounds). When these goods are re- ceived here from Japan they are dyed and printed and re-exported. large quantities of them going to the Unit ed States. They consist generally of pongees, tussah, and corah. These goods could all be dyed in the United States. The new duty, although to be remitted when the Japanese goods are re-exported, will, nevertheless, cause some inconvenience and delay. The shippers would like to avoid this if possible, and if their Japanese silks could be dyed in the United States 1t would save them one reshipment and the delay caused in paying the duties and in having them refunded upon transshipment to the United States. It seems to me that, with our better ma chinery and more skillful workmen. we might dye these goods as cheaply as the French. French manufacturers who have silk mills in the United States assure me that an American workingman will do three times as much work in a day as a Frenchman. They say our men are more active. Wo- men who have lived here and employ ed French dressmakers in their homes assure me that an American dressma- ker will do three or four times as much work in a day as a French girl. The dyers and printers of Lyons are emphatically opposed to the proposed duty and may succeed in defeating it: but if it should be imposed, I can see no reason why our people should not fa ad nf