The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-10-20
A TARIFF INTERVIEW
With Iohn Oesterllng, ESQ.,, Presi-
dent Of the Central Glass
Company.
Observations in Europe and Expe-
rienCes In America.


a visit to his native land in Germany
, from whence he came many years ago as I
I poor boy to find home in the New World
Weneed not inform the community how
, by industry, patience, good judgment anc
good character Mr.. oesterling has becom,
one Of the solid men Of Wheeling. The
public Ia familiar with this fact, Nor neeC
we say that the concern that he representa-
Is one Of the best known and most sue
, cessful Of our many manufacturing estab
Ilishments. It's wares go TO all parts Of oul
own land, and likewise to several foreign
countries. They were discovered on sale
in the City Of Mexico by our Wheeling
visitors to that Couptrytwo years ago.
Many consignments OF them have gone to
Germany, where they have found mar.
ket in competition with cheaper wares OF
that country because oil some advantage
| in point both ofstyle and practical utility.
a representative OF the ISrELLIGPScRR
dropped in on Mr.. 0sterlng yester-
day at his Office in East Wheeling and fell
into conversation with him about his re-
cent trip,to Germany and this matter OF
sending Central glassware to that country.
Mr. Osterling Is modest az well truth
ful man, and has as little OF the sslf.glori-
fcation element ia him as any citizen In
our midst. Hence he did not enthuse in
the least over the idea OF his goods having
found market in Germany. "There is
not much in it." said he, aud ''there will
| Lnk ka In n fnkn nRa "
''How so?" said the INTELLlGEScRR man.
YWell," said Mr.. osterling, I'VE have
been shipping come pressed glassware
over there, such as this beer mug, (takiug
up one from the table, and 1t has found
sale because in Germany they have not
until recently introduced oHr method OF
pressing, and because it resembles thsir
handmade cut glass ware. They still
nblow" such goods as this, aud make II
| by piece meal, putting on the stem aud
the handle on tho body OF the glass.
Hence their ware cannot be Uniform 10
size like pressed glass, and the handp ts
easily j,rred oil, ahd besides the handle
accumulates dirt at It's points OF. jointure
with tho glass.A
.Then You do not Gnd q market by un-
defselling the Germans?' said our re.
porter. ,
for one dollar and tifty cents, per dozen
are worth about 86 per cent more laid
down In Leipsic, dn;ies paid. That Is TO
ssy, thay cost about g so per dczen de-
livered ia that city-prObably more than
that now, as Germany has recently added
10 per cent additional duty on glass, which
would make the whole duty 20 per cent.
Our glass Is not cheaper to those who buy
Il thgu German made glass, but II has the
novelty aud also the advantage | alluded
to. The octngons on this glass appear to
have been cut, and Ia 6ermsny, II they
used glass OF this kind, they would have
TO be cut This ia an appearance that
helps to sell orr glass.
Can the 9ermaps produce glassware
materially cheaper than the Americans
we inquired. al. u
OF course their labor is very much
cheaper, costing only about onetourth as
much rs ours, and their ware, sucn as thls
mug, would represent good deal ot labor
as compared with what IL represents here.
But when once they adopt our method, az
they are already doing, they will send
glass to this country instead Of our sending
It over there. They pay more for sand
than we do; in fact they cannot get sucn
sand as we use in our Eommop ware, ex'
cept by, repeated and expensive washing
and that makes some difference IN our
favor But, as said, once they get under
headway 10 MSking pressed glass, We VIII
not only ship nonp ot it over there, but
they will ship TO this country, especially
lie the present tariff on foreign goods IS
reduced. tlf 2IR
sWosld the wipiug out ot.our present
protective tariF shut you mp?
Perhaps not, but II 1t did uotit would
as a matter OF course compel reduction
N the wagcs paid to labor. We would
either have TO suspend or dad u way Of
making glass as cheap IS Germany. There
would be no alternative. Tho protection OF
our tariff enables US To hold our American
market against Europe, and pay our men
about four times as much for tleir labor as
German workmen get. VI 2
What effect has the tariff had on the
production OF glass In this country sal
tlBefore the war We manufactured about
one.sixth ofthe glass used in this country,
| and imported fve.sixthso 1t. Now we have
lust about reversed this ratio, and are
to-day making five sixths OF all the glass
sold In this country.
What effect has It had on the price2
How do prices compare With those oil the
days before the war2
Prices are very much lower. Goods
Ithas sold for 81 so per dozen then are sold
Az low as Is cents, You see the protection
the tariii has stimulated production and
competition among ourselves, and prices
have largely declined.
workmen?
Workmen now receive abont nfty per
cent more wages than they did before Ihe
War. Aud assuming thet tho OK.
peuses OF living are no more than 10 those
days, for meat, bread and.clothes' they are
Just, OF course, titty per cent better OIL
It seems to me, Mr.. Oesterling, that you
are making powerful tariff argument
. Do your workmen hear these facts?
Not from me; l never talk politics to
anybody about the Works, or inquire as
TO, what side they arc on, There is no
need for such men as me to talk about the
tariff when Democratic paper like the
Cincinnati EaqItrfr has furnished one oi
the best arguments hayp seen on the
!, subject this campaign. BY the way, did
you read 1t? refer TO New York dis
, patch from "Gath" In that paper 8 day OF
. two sitter the election, II you would like
TO publish IL hare II is. It reads as follows;
NEW YoRK, oetOhsr lS--About I o'clock Tuesiay
ssfaf e. fs s sSs y tss fSa Ss
a bsr-hallstt Kllboprns, Of Washinst0n-usdo 'b'
{. folio Eiug remarks -
!. that every Northern state 1ilEo for 1Lrblld BIS
q II ON the change In business. Four years ago hAi
n real estate 10 every part Warrington lily, and n9
The car my pocket to 80 and look At y. tel
% dospeiS that vsA In favor Of more grEenoacks,
any other relief. This yesr have comfortable rc1 on
ioF wanting no change, and little money % b.ei
= ny oplni0n Sith.. Gsntlemeu, thafe Si,lte N
:. lAigSSi vote p0lled to-day ever known IN b9t
Inaiaua and Ohio, and nearly the whole 10