The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-02-12
POTTERY AND GLASSWARE.
Colonel Ben Wilson Stands Up For a
Fair Tariff.

During the debate in the House on
the glass and earthenware schedule,
Col. Ben Wilson stood manfully by home
industries, as the following from the Con-
cressional Record will show:
Upon the motion Of Mr.. Carlisleto strike
cry" Mr.. Wilson said;
MIR. Chairman: A duty OF 30 per cent is
now imposed by law upon foreign painted,
printed, cilded and otherwise decorated
china, porcelain, parian, bisque, earthen,
stone and crockery ware. The bill under
consideration proposes 10 increase the duty
10 B5 per cent! lam opposed to the gem
tIeman's amendment to strike out por.
tion OF these articles. The Tariff Commits.
sion, 10 which this subject was referred,
have reported in favor OF increasing the
duty to 65 per cent.
Thus we have, Mr.. Speaker, the recon-
mendation by that commission, which is
based upon careful examination and
study OF the subject. They inform Con.
gross that that change Is absolutely neces.
sary TO the maintainance OF that ind ustry
in this country, and that without such re.
lief there must be material reduction, il
not an absolute destruction Of the manu-
iacture Of earthen ware In this country.
The Committee on Ways and Means have
carefully and anxiously reviewed and ap.
proved the recommendation OF that COM
mission, and for one am not disposed to
disturb 1t. .,u.
Il has been stated by the gentleman that
preceded me that this industry prospertd
when it had the advantageo OF The premium
on gold; but since the premium has gone
down it has been greatly embarrassed. l
undertake to cay, to a large extent from
personal information and observation Of
The business where it is carried on exten.
sjyely in my own district, that with the
present tariff 1t cannot exist.
Large amounts OF capital have been in
VISITED in the enterprise, and those most
skilled in the pottery business tell me, and
1 am sure they tell me truly, that itcannot
he kept up unless It has some further re-
lief from tariff duty.
In tho district have the honor to repre-.
sent and in the city OF Wheeling we have
an extensive pottery mandatory, which Is
nnder the management Of a gentleman OF
English birth and education, Edward NJ.
Pearson. He grew up in the business in
England and became skilled in the art. I
hold in my hand table furnished by him
to The Tariff Commission. From that table
we learn that the amount Of work in his
establishment during the previous six
months cost S27,2SS. And that the same
amount OF work ut the same time in,Eng.
land would have cost Sl2,0S7. This APPLY
illustrates the difference between the cost
OF labor in the two countries.
No country can boast Of finer pottery
material than we have in this country, and
in the language Of Mr.. Pearson, mo coun:
try does or can producea finer quality Of
stone china than America"
Now the question Is presented to us,
shall this enterprise go down or shall We
foster and encourage It
The demand for articles Of earthea.ware
in this country amounts to millions OF dol
liars annually. Now shall these millions be
expended In Europe or retained in Amer
licaP Shall we.encourage European enter
prise or American enterprise encourage