New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-05-28

.,rouun IL nusS pass through on the
- n lea,t eighteen different hands OF pro-
800 before it can b. sent out In perfect con-
x;tion-the miller. the slip-maker. the preparer OF
a., tbe paller. the thrower, the carrier, tue
-. the handler, the biscuit fireman. the sconrer,
AZ. 6i,per the glost-ireman, the sorter, the
irtor the painter, the glider. the enaipel fireman
and tbe burnlsher have discussed IN previous
- the classes Of operatives, and shown the
raat excess of wages paid each grade in the United
stotes over England. 1t must also be borne in
lind that 80 per cent If not more, of the value OF
pottery and porcelain, is labor.
tis TO be hored that with the slightly increased
protcction recommended by the Tariff Commission
and adopted by Congress, the manufacturers OF
Trenton will turn their attention little more "
printed ware. TIE English potter is very dissatis-
fed with tie new tariff, and the newspapers mere
declare that competitive foreigners hsu succeoueu
in supplying low prices wares OF ne" uesisns an"
rleasnc decorations which cannot be produced IN
the United States. The tarlh virtually pohlol'S
the further importation of this class OF goods 10y
l,s;friu, them with the most costly chinaware, so
At an ornamental plate worth SO and another
worth only cents will both have 10 pay the same
rate of duty co per cent adj val0rem. Tie ann OF
this unjust classification is to compel the consumer
70 give up the purchase of cheap imported printed
ware which cannot be made in the United states
and drive him to buy the white goods that are maze
there People must therefore remain content 10
take their coffee in ugly white cups, that weigh
something less than pound each and are not quite
half an inch Thick
The auimus Of the above is plainly seen, and the
,ame newspaper characterizes American manu-
facturers rs the clumsy crocker' makers OF New
Jersevv This rather provokes smile after reading
the three quotations my Burslem letter, all from
English authorities. in which they speak oil tho
wonderful excellence OF American ware. But tie
excellence of our plain ware WIS thoroughly estab-
Ished in the testimony before the Tariff Commits
sion As to decorated ware, the pottcrs themselves
frankly admitted that our decorations being CON
fined to very cheap and common patterns, are mainly
used for toilet wares" Again Mr.. Brewer said:
OF course it has been impossible for us to COM
pete with the cultured educated, and well-traned
hands Of England or the Continent, in general
decoIatlon and we have had to content ourselves
with bands and lines, or some cheap and special
American patterns. Not that this feature OF our
business pays all for il does not PAYS our com
petition in this branch of trade is the most une-
DUAL of ALL But being pottcrs our people demand that
We advance. We must advance or have our whole
market taken away by supersedure OF decorated
for plain wares Europe has cultivated by SUBSIDY by
schools OF design, by Government poteIes TINS par
ticular branch until almost every household has It's
abundance We must create, cultivate, and by slow
degrees grow into this branch of the trade. True,
we could import and to 4 very great extent, must
import this labor ready made, so to speak, but here
We meet the greatest obstacle. This branch OF the
trade is the best paid abroad. and workmen must
have great inducements offered 10 induce tnem 10
leave their present profitable employment.
This is certainly true at Worcestershire employees
of the Royal Worcester Porcelain Works are very
superior class of men. They live in comfortable
houses and are interested in all sorts of artistic
studies 4 Government school Of art located here
was established more than thirty years ago. 1t is
well conducted and the Earl of Dudley is the pres
dent The same is true of the pottery. Besides the
Wedgewood Institute, which Mr.. Gladstone, in his
opening address, characterized as " national III
stiutionD there are several art schools, and Govern
ment schools oil for the purpose OF fostering this i'm
portant and truly beautiful art, which has never
fourshed in Europe except under the most distin
culsned patronage There is, believe. only one
manufacturer the United States who makes
line of tableware porcelain and he admitted before
the Tariff Commission that If the present rate OF
duty was adhered to he could extend the maniac
ture II is not probable that with the competition
of such esta ADJUSTMENTS as AIinton's, Uopelands and
Worcester America will make much Roadway in
the highly decorated ware, but there is no reason
why the Trenton pOtt ers should fail to keep their
promise to the TarI1 Commission and produce
good cheap and yet handsome line OF printed goods,
and in this way prove how utterly false are the
charges recently made by the English press that
they cannot make cheap printed ware" Ihcy can
make better white ware than the fngish, ana WIN
more satisfactory classification OF the tarln there
is now no reason why they should not make
good common print ware. VIII the Trenton pot
tiers rest under this charge OF ugly Whte cups lhat
weigh something less than hall a pound each and
ROBERT T. PORTER.