Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-04-30
Pres, Greene's Address


"As we survey the events or the
past few months we are not over
hopeful. A tariff bill was enacted last
fall, the last provision of which, so
far as textiles are concerned. went
into effect Jan. 1, with the reduction
of the duty on wool goods. This re-
adjustment was serious one with the
wooden and worsted mills Of the coun-
try. WHAT I fear most is that the full
effect of the tariff has not been felt.
The cotton manufacturers perhaps
have not been seriously disturbed in
most lines by direct competition from
the foreign manufacturers. However,
on fine goods competition has been In
evidence and yet the manufacturers
as q whole are not as much alarmed
as those in other large branches OF
the textile industry.
The prosperity of the cotton mills
is dependent to a very large degree
on the general business of the coun-
try and this seems likely to continue
in a very unsatisfactory way unless
some of the momementous questions
that are now being discussed by Con-
gress and the Interstate Commerce
seems to be the concensus of opinion
that the increase in freight rates de-
manded by the railroads is a neces-
sary first step in the restoration of
public confidence.
"One OF the most serious problems
which we manufacturers have to face
is the labor problem, A mere short
ening of hours will not accomplish
what the wage earners themselves
really seek. We all believe in higher
wages for the textile workers. The
present schedule of wages should be
maintained, but If the government
seeks to impose unjust and unfair bur-
dens, labor must bear its fair share of
the load. Any further curtailment in
hours must inevitably stand in the
way of an increase in weekly wages"
A paper by Former Mayor John r.
Fitzgerald, chairman of the foreign
trade committee of the Boston Cham
Der of Commerce, on The Export Side
of the TEXTILE Industry" contained
these comments:
Our cotton mills, especially in the
New England district, are provided
with good ports for export, but the
New England section feels especially
the difficulty Of solving the future of
her experts But she has been able
to export with increasing quantities
the higher grade goods, and there Is
no reason to believe that with her
| already efficient organization she will
not be able to develop her labor so
that they may have a greater degree
Of skill and be able to produce on a
basis more and more favorable to
meet the foreign manufacturer on ex-
port fields.
Il wish to interest you to begin and
think in foreign terms: to talk COM
| merce, think commerce and teach
| commerce to your employees. We can
not dump our surplus upon the for
eigner. We must re-make this sur
| plus into a product which meets even
his finicky tastes"
| Africa as market for American
| goods" was considered in a paper by
Ralph N. Odell, commercial agent OF
! the United States department of COM
merce, in part as follows:
| THE possibilities Of Africa as a
field for the sale of cotton goods are
well worth the serious study Of Amer
/ lean cotton manufacturers. The
| growth Of the trade in Africa, which
has nearly doubled in the past II
years, has been more rapid than that
| of any other continent in the world
The share of the United States in this
trade heretofore has been insignif-
| cant. 1t is encouraging to note, how
ever. that this trade has grown from
less than 100000 five years ago tc
$1,590000, an increase Of over 100 pei
| cent.
II have only recently returned from
a trip to northern. southern and
eastern Africa. In many of the Sec
tons which 1 visited. I found thai
/ American grey goods were well known
and popular. n Abyssinia. British ln6
German East Africa and Uganda we
| supply over so per cent. of all the grey
goods imported.
I'VE need mills that will be devot.
ed particularly to the manufacture Of
goods for export as a permanent un.
dertaking, and we need American
/ statesmen who will carefully canvas
the foreign field"
JOURNAL WANT ADS.