Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1917-03-28
YELLOW PERIL is REAL
AMERICA MUST MEET JAPANESE
COMPETITION SOON.
Facts and Figures That Show Our
Manufacturers VIII Need a Stiff
Protective Tariff.

A representative of the National AS.
ISOLATION of Manufacturers In the far
East has undertaken to reassure Amer
leans about Asiatie competition. An
article he publishes fairly reeks with
optimism. The alleged cheap labor of
the Orient he finds to be much different
from the frightful hugbear which has
caused palpitatlons of fear in this
country, says the Detroit Free Press.
This comforting opinion reads well.
but analysis of the argument by which
1t is reached tends to diminish the feel
ing of security IL inspires. Most of
the article is seen on examination to
deal with Hludoo labor conditions,
about which little has been said in dis
GUESSING the ASiatic menace. The Hin
doc may be all he is described, inef-
ticient, lazy and dishonest; hut what
about the Japanese? That industrious
little yellow chap is the danger about
which Americans have been thinking.
Not much space is devoted to japan
In the article; bn, il too has comfort
ing talk. The enormous growth of
Japanese foreign trade is admitted--as
could not well he avoided, seeing that
1t has iuh,ped In value from about six
ty million yen of imports and exports
in 1880 to some six hundred and sew
enty million yen in 1915, But. says
the comforter. Japans imports have
been increasing together with the eX-
ports; her imports from the United
States have roughly kept pace with the
total amount of the trade The init
nation seems TO be that as long as we
keep swapping things with Japan SO
that we give her as much as she gives
US both parties will be as well off in
dustrially whether the bulE Of trading
is one million or a hundred million a
year.
Japan's official statistics put a diff
ferent appearance on the matter.
There is evidence in them that the
increase in her imports consists largely
of raw materials and the increase In
her exports consists largely Of finished
products; which. If true, would mean
that the fear of japanese competition
TO American manufacturers Is founded
on a very substantial basis of fact.
Take one or two items for illustra-
ton, Japans imports of raw cotton
were valued at Ts.779,o5S yen In a year
as recent at 1902; in 1915 they were
up to 2lG471 1872 yen. Imports Of wool
rose from 1891, 564 yen to 30,5S4,249
yen in the same time. Exports Of prod
ucts FROM these goods were advancing
/ by rapid leaps meanwhile; the one
classification Of twilled tissues alone
shows an increase from 4S,404 yen &c
10.645, 263 yen.
How the Industrial system Of Japan
/ IS changing can perhaps best be shown
! by taking one specific case. Let us Sc
lect gray shirtings and sheetings." q
manufactured article. Imports In this
class dropped from 5094 .237 ven in
1902 to l43. 421 yen in 1915, and exports
in the class rose from 2.9130H yen In
1902 to 13,545,116 yen in 1915.
The process is one which viii bring
into Japan the entire profit both foi
| labor and capital that Is intermediate
between the raw material and the fin
ished manufactures The United
States might continue 10 sell to Japan
| raw cotton and minerals, but the trans
formation of natural products into
! goods for use by the ultimate consum-
er would take place in Japan. II would
! be cheaper for the white race 20 LEI
the paid Asiatic make up the good,
than to employ its own people for the
purpose-and America would revert
from n manufacturing TO an agrcul-
tural country. with all or a great part
of its employed class driven out OF
work by underwriting Of wages In the
/ Orient.
The yellow peril looks more and
more like a real peril every time some
one tries TO explain It away. Nothing
hut a stiff protective tariff appears to
be a practical defense against Il. The
war will act in lieu Of such tarifl
while II lasts. for Japan is too busy
making munitions and money to bother
NTH our markets just now But what
| pffar the Wnr7