The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-02-07
Tbe Growth Of nm Industry.

There Is no ADLER free trader in the
House than John G. Carlisle, Of Kentucky.
He is gifted with such clearness Of state
ment, such force Of argument, that cause
which has him for a champion Is To be es'
teemed fortunate. The House had under
discussion the tariff on pottery, and Mr..
Carlisle, in his accomplished way, was fast
annihilatipg the struggling young pottery
industry Of the country. He wanted to
give the House an object lesson, and so he
provided himself with some pieces OF
earthenware which he exhibited in illus
tration Of his argument
It>happens, fortunately, that the Tren.
ton district Of New Jersey Is represented
in the House by a potter Of intelligence,
J. Hart Brewer, whose firm is turning out
highly creditable work. Mr.. Brewer ad-
dressed himself to Mr.. Carlisle's arguments
and specimens, and he demolished them
all BY an overwhelming array Of facts. Mr..
Carlisle was very particular to show that
the duty is added to the cost oil manufac.
ture and ia paid by the consumer OF Amer
can pottery. This is the common argument
Of the free trader, and he never makes out
bis case, though he does not always en-
counter an expert, as Mr.. Carlisle did.
From some comparative tables presented
nv Mr.. Brewer, we are able 10 follow the
effect OF protective tariff on prices oil
American pottery. In 1850 the duty was
"a per cent-"ior revenue only" subse-
quently increased to 40 per cent, for pro
lection. The high price Of gold and the
general influence Of the war gave birth to
the American pottery industry, and from
red earthen.ware, stone.ware, drain pipe
and the like, simplest works Of the potter's
art, began that marvellous development OF
artistic ware which our potters are now
producing. The books Of New York
importing house show that an
invoice Of crockery, tea cups, plates,
dishes, sugar bowls, ewers and basins, jugs
and bowls averaged Al per cent higher in
1850 than in 1882. The English manufac-
turers' agent has been obliged to lower his
price to meet the strong competition from
the American manufacturer. But there
has been competition between the Ameri'
can manufacturers. The New York i'm
porter's bill OF 1860 is duplicated today by
the American potter for IS per cent less,
and the American article is preferred. l..
Because OF the home manufacture the
American farmer or workman buys more
than twice as much crockery with dollar
as he did in 1880; or, to put it another
way, he buys as much with A cents as he
did in 1860 with dollar. While this has
been accomplished our working potters
have received such wages as would not be
thought Of in the English potteries-125
per cent, the Tariff Commission says-and
mis- greater comforts Of shelter, table and
apparel show that the difference is real and
tangible.
Potter's clay is found in every State in
the Union. We have all the advantages
possessed by any people for a successful
prosecution Of the business, but we cannot
stand against the cheap labor Of the old
world unless the tariff stands between.
The industry is young. 1t has paid and it
will pay 10 protect it.
The House bill does not give the potters
more protection than they ought to have,
and the friends OF American industry ought
not to be swayed by interested appeals
from the other side Of the ocean.