The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-10-25

What more convincing argument can bs
neeoed TO prove that American-made goods are
inc equal II not the superior OF foreign.made
oroducts than the fact that we export mora
IMAM any ether nation in the world, except the
United hingdom? In other words, in the
markets OF the world American. made nrodrnts
are more highly esteemed than those of anv
other nation. except Great Britain and this
aespite the iact that Amercan-made goods al
most invariably command higher prices.
NOW, II the world at large finds American
made goods so desirable why should Amar;
cans themselves show preference for foreign
goods? Aen
Inc figures for 1912 showed the list OF ex.
ports to be as follows
United kingdom ........ ,371 ,O73, 0e0
Oniled states ...-....... 2,204,322,4O9
TTeimahy ................ 2.131,718.00o
iahCe ..:............... ,295,528, 900
Netherlands ............. 1,251472O0O
II is true that in the matter of labor the rae,
CT the world has some advantage over the
United States. We pay our employees higher
wages. - 1AeAe'
But this one DISADVANTAGE great as ~ NAV
be in manufactures In which labor constitutes
Inc principal item OF cost is largely offset by
our unsurpassed mechanical skill
n one mas any doubt as to the ability OF
American manufacturers to excel the world IN
any industry which they take up seriously II ia
only necessary to refer to the history of one at
the newest of them all-the AUTOMOBILE In.
dustry ~
When automobiles first made their .nn.,.
ance France and Italy obtained a mononoiv ot
the business Thus, in 1906 we imported
S4,Slo2os worth and exported $4,409,136. Within
the next rev years American manufacturers
LOOK up the industry In earnest and E 1911 our
imports had dwindled to $2,446,24S and our ex.
ports had jumped to $21.636661. In the follow.
ing year the imports went down TO 50 0oO nm
ana our exports rose to $26,012,934
Last year we imported just 800 automobiles.
S26,574,574. "o'''
Here is an example of the DEVELOPMENT o, an
industry which might be duplicated In almost
any field. If the American consumer would onlv
realize that just as Americans can build auto.
noolies Which excel those of any other natio,
SO they can weave superior fabrics make flner
Clothes manufacture better food-stuffs, and. In
short produce more desirable example of al.
most every other commodity for which 81 manv
americans now look to foreign countries
Or course. the responsibility rests upon
the manufacturers themselves to q large an.
tent. Iney must improve products which are
at present inferior 60 those of foreign nations
and develop industries which we have hitherto
allowed other nations to monopolize.
we cannot expect Americans to favor Amer
1can-made products from patriotic stand.
point merely. Amercan-made goods must be-
superior to foreign-made. or American manu-.
lacturers cannot expect to control American
patronage.
Take. for instance, the chemical and drug
industry, in which Germany has developed
pracucal monopoly, to such an extent, as far
as we are concerned, that we are dependent
upon her for at least 90 per cent of the dive.
stuffs we require in this country. In this very
Important industry, upon which so many other
industries are dependent we have been shock.
tngly deficient
So good an authority as A.. H. Cosden presl
dent or the Riker-Hegeman Company, pointed
out In this paper a week or two ago that there
Is no reason at all why we should allow this
situation to continue. In number OF cases
which he specified he showed that America can
produce drugs, chemicals and food. stinfs of a
grade superior to those now imported but has
neglected its opportunities in this respect solely
because OF the desire on the part OF many
Americans for imported" articles.