New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-04-15
COMPkIITION IN FILES.
THE HOME TRADE DUE TO PROTECTION

THE HOME TRADE DUE ~ fhOIbOiIO'i
CHANGES IN THE TARIFF OS JEWELLERS sUPPLIEs-
WAGES PAID woRKNEN IN AMERICA
Eyes. nv attention has been called to an IN
tervlew published Inc Herald OF March II with per
son represented to be manufacturer ofjeWeners supp
who SAID that protection IN his line was not wanted
and that the present injurious and wrong toward
iewelry manufacturers" said +. ". Gesswein OF NO 80
Jobn-st TO TRIBuNR reporter. Mr. Gessewn Is manu-
facturer machinery files and toos for Jereuer' ''o
smiths watch clock, cnrOnometer and me Instrument
makers and IS the proprietor Of the Paterson fe WORKS
What do you think Of the tariff on files = asked the
reporter.
THAT ia he first point wish 70 make gu actual
manufacturer and importer being asserted that small
fine dies cannot be made here do make them, ana IL Is
only because Of the present tariff mat have been able to
establish this industry at my works. Heretofore we
could not compete with the cheap labor Of Europe
These goods made mostly IN switzeriand'
where the experienced workman receives rom
three TO three aud hall francs aoout Cd 70 20 cents
DAY and works from a. m. till p. m. Women al the
machines receive twelve and half 70 fourteen cenmes
(2Lo 10 cents hour. pay Ter the same labor IRON
- u 80 day hours. The interview a. puDsbed
in he Hrqd is grossly misleading, and misrepresens
the facts Tue duty on before the last change was
10 cents pound and 80 cent ad valorem added on
files not inches and cents per pound ana ~
per cent I'd vaorem files over 10 inches IN length
Under this duty manufacture of large flies IN TINS
ported now have factories here such as cannot be
found IN the whole OF Europe aid which competing
successfully in large tiles.
The small and tine dies used by watchaakers, jew
eeIs ec Owing the little cost Of material in Europe,
and the files light in weight the principal cost Is
fer labor the imported article was comparatively
low in prce and American manufacturers were handl-
capped before the change In the tariff The change
sinuaed the collection OF duties and turned the tables
some what and the tariff now 30 cents per dozen ON
files no 10 four rs cents on nes from four TO nhe
inches; 81 80 d.es from nine TO fourteen mcnes'
and 81 so on flies above fourteen Inches
in lenr,h. This reduced the former duty on large
Ais materially and raised the duty small files This
W., iu.t what was needed give American nanuiact
ur,rs a start in competing with the swiss LABOR OIt-
side of small round and square files and needle HES the
general average advance ON small hes Il ABOUT ~ per
cent while on Large es there l. an average re iicoh
of about 10 per cent. As an American Manufacturer
avap that can to-day furnish all these goods as cheap a.
they can be bought Europe, with the addition OF the
difference In labor which have to pay TO my workmen
But give ia a little time and with experience anu IND
proyements which the duty viii warrant rs IN making
and We win he able 70 compete Ia small Mes as success
fully as we do in large files
- Have Won made study OF this industry in EuropeW
O. have been importing and manufacturing goods Tor
fifteen years have been Europs E'any times to study
I'M, industry and last spring after the agitation on the
tariff question studied 1t carefully RON ths point IN
Germany, Au-Tla, trlhCei oNtLcIiaid anu i@7A"n'-
foupd that II We were protected in the difference
Maid in wages we would be obliged to close our work
sbops or Else the workmen woud have to work az Eu-
ronean wages. Why should al Industries using thrse
tools be OBLIGED to buy them IN Europe when
ar pooDle can make them as well, ana
wa en- 1--WE employment 70 American labcrt
We are able TO pay our wOrangmeu better wages because
o, the protection given to American alustrie' Would
the od orkmen come If they did not hope 70 re-
c.ive nca wages that they might live more respectfully
than II, Europc Could pay these better wages under
free fadr We gain than credit Is given FOR by this
.uet labor GIVEN 70 u.s. We get their labor and expert
epfe which, combined " IN Improved lOols dio uchi
erv And the general Tariff OF this country VIII bth- 10
neeessary leg -ation. Then must consider anolner
fact that the money earned by these people l. eApbaoa
tbsr indsrries uch would he tbe II we sent
our money abroad 70 buy the TOOLS ana otner Things uaeu
oy % dos The is1f affect the twist drill industryF
,sTyist drills made OF American materials ana WIN
American labor and machines II not protected At hrHt ~
patents (Which have now express end Dy dulles wU,u
never have been developed 70 their present standing
After many Of labor ami experiment 10 peIect %
machines, etc. American nanuactuIeTs sIs now !,
nostou 10 compete with Europe, and we have recently
rrdpred price 80 ceat 20 meet nome cne
tcu There are number or tw1stdrill factories IN Eu-
rope and comparatively eN o. lhsHc 'oSi5 Seas lie
! 7 manufacture and export circular Drlste ana wire
br1Ishes Wa firs to deyeope the industry a9u
haze lu,prOved machinery for thelI Manufacture nc
reason export these goods 10 Europe = not mat tI
anuot couucts with but because L0ere has been HtCe
denand FOR them; and the Industry = not developer
tbere owing 70 fact that they did polishing Wholly ny
snme instances lever, than taey were sold before t1c
antieS xer, increased II did GOT make them cpu
moi se so and ready . take orders FOR the I
rs N the oacsOls given " The Herdid T. The test
mony that he Traders Obliged To resort TO- thea
they must hard pushed indeed The entire interview
| misleading TO those who kn0" no better.