The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1870-01-29
The Glass Employees.

| -Messrs. EdNOrs-In your last issue I see an
editorial commenting on the Glass Works of
Ottawa, which wish to correct in some points
and give our objections to other points.
First The demand of the Pittsburgh manu-.
facturers were too low to be reasonable, for this
| reason, that the men before the war could afford
to work considerably lower than they can now,
a. they could live cheaper.
"The men there not being willing to submit
to the proposed reduction, most of the factories
have dlreddy put out their fires
Messrs. Editors, here you mistake, as only one
Of the factories in Pittsburg has gone out on &C.
| count Of the strike, and another has had part of
their buildings destroyed by FIRE, consequently
had to stop their works.
"Should the Ottawa Glass Company 60 on &C.
cumulating stock at the present cost, which
| must come in competition with Glass made at
| the lower scale of wages, should Pittsburgh re-.
sumo, aud with ash imported duty free, the loss
must necessarily be enormous"
Now, Nessrs Editors, the wages in Pittsburgh
have not como down, nor are they likely to come
down at the present price of glass; and as to the
enormous duty on ash, think it would crush
almost any company with Judge Cation at it,
head, for it is one per cent.
| "Judge Cation assembled the working men on
| Wednesday evening
| Put that "a hours sooner, il you please.
"Judge Cation said he had not invested his
money solely on account of the income he had
anticipated from it, but rather from the pleasure
he took in seeing manufacturing enterprises 20
on which gave employment and support to Ia.
boring men. So far as no was concerned pecu.
niarily, he should not want should the fires 20
out tomorrow and not be kindled again in year.
But it was not SO with most of those present,
who depended on their toll to support their fam.
lilies. He was therefore more anxious to con.
tinue the work on thei: account than his own.
How maguanimous Mr.. Cation is Why does
not Mr.. Cation show it in different way? why
does he not furnish the poor families with water
from the Ottawa water works free Of charge
why does he not sell them starch at a lower
figure why does he not allow them to send
messages over the wires at q lower figure he
has enough and to spare. Why does he not al.
low the poor laborer more wages and not try to
cut them down rs he does?
Does Mr. Cation care 50 much for the business
enterprise of this CITY as for the advance it
would cause in property, and for the name it
would give him Does Mr. Cation think for one
moment the employees are depending upon him
for support If they did they would fare pretty
slim at times. And does Mr.. Cation, or you.
Nessrs. Editors, think the employees are depend.
ens on Glass Works for living If you or any
one else does, you mistake greatly, AS those who
have not money enough to go into business can
get other employment easily. Do ypu think
We can do nothing but blow glass? II you do
yon had better try US ~ some Of your works.
You will find We IRE not altogether slouches !;
neither will we take the advantage of others,
neither will we give man kick to help him
down II he is falling; but our mstto is "On.
ward and Upward" neither are We confined to