Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1905-08-14

| pushed with little energy. While silk
| is the chief means by which China
now pays its foreign debts, only the
adoption of modern methods of cult
yatio1l and manufacture will save the
silk Industry in China as an interna-
tional trade element. There is lit
tie progress, but it comes very slow
IT,
1t is remarkable that the silk bust
ness Of China has endured so long as
it has, in competition with that of
countries where every stage of the
process of producing silk, from the
planting of the mulberry tree to the
very cover of the finished package of
cloth, is governed by science and
constantly improved methods. The
very fact that China is still in the
race, and that it is still able to sell
it's goods all over the world. is ample
demonstration of the immense natural
advantages it has in the culture of the
mulberry tree and the silk industry
generally A fair knowledge of the
processes of silk making is had by an
immense number of people in the
country, and apparently it would take
comparatively little modern instruc-
ton, with the introduction of few
changes, to restore China to the front
the silk exports of Hangchau, one of
the famous silk cities of the world,
fell off per cent. in value last year,
and there has been a steady decline
all over the country for more than a.
decade past. This decline in China's
exports Of silk has been going on too
long and too steadily for it to be any
thing but permanent so long as present
conditions prevail.
The situation in the silk business OF
China is peculiar. Like all other lines
of industry ard trade in China, it is
controlled by guilt, one of the most
powerful organizations of a commercial
sort in the world. The members OF
this silk guild are among the wealth.
est men of China, and as rule may
he classed among the most conserva-
tive of people, opposed to modern in
ern ideas generally. But they are
face to face with the proposition that
unless they turn to western ideas and
western learning at once, their bus1-
ness, with all that it means to China
and themselves, will be irretrievably
lost. The progressive element in
this old stronghold of Chinese conser-
vatism is rapidly increasing in
strength. Actual present-day loss is
powerful incentive to reform.
The silk guild is jealous of its priv
ileges and brooks no opposition among
the Chinese One way or another,
sooner or later, it works a profit out
of all cocoons raised. 1t regulates
the styles and qualities OF silks manu-
featured ana sold and, SO far as th5
producer can do it, regulates the
prices at which they are sold. Like
other Chinese controlling agencies,
however, the silk guild does no more
in the silk business than is necessary
to insure it's control and profit. A
large number of people, therefore,
deal in silk and cococns, and so long
as the silk guild can control their
product there is no complaint.
In the last few years foreigners
Lave been dealing much in silk in
China and have bought large share
of the cocoon crop. They have erect
ed steam failures and have endeavored
to place the silk business on a more
modern basis. They have found the
business profitable, as whole, but
the Chinese silk people manage to
make silk in the same old manner and
sell as cheaply as those employing
modern methods. The quality of the
silks the Chinese put out with their
old methods seems to be all that can
be desired. The silks sent to Pekin
for tribute and for the use of the
imperial household, wonderfully rich
and heavy enough to stand alone, are
made by the time-honOred Chinese
methods on rough looms and with the
usual division of labor from the cocoon
raiser to the girl who winds the silk
on spindles in dingy, dirty, mud-wall
house with earthen floor and grlmy
furniture.
AS most of the silk cocoons produc-
ed in China are produced by the small
farmer on his little patch of ground
in the manner taught him by tradition,
SO most of the Chinese silk is spun
and woven by Chinese in their homes.
The silk guild people either hire silk
weavers to work at home or buy the
product of those who work independ-
entity One may go along almost any
street of Importance in Hangchau
and see silk weaver at work in his
home, but negotiations for the pur-
chase of his product will be met with
reference to some silk dealer in the
city for whom the weaving is being
done. Possibly a purchase can he
made, but it will be at prices cores
ponding with those of the dealers. I'm