The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-07-07
The MiIl's BIN and GLASS.

The PlttsburGh POSt says: III the hlgn
tariff party is expecting any aid from the
workers in glass IL Is time II were doing
considerable missionary work among them
Last week il WAS demonstrated In the Post
by series Of interviews that there is need
Of energetic missionary work among the
iron and steel workers, especially those
belonging 70 the Knights OF Labor. 1t is
apparent that the party is going 10 have
some difficulty in convincing these men OF
brains and braun that IL Is 10 their Interest
70 pour bounties into the treasures of the
trsuts and pay heavy tribute on the absolute
necessities of life a, the same time.
John T. Cahiil, of this city, secretary of
local Union No. Of the American Flint
Glass Workers union, it Is the author of a
neat handbook entitled Business Guioe
and Directory of the Glass Factories of the
United States and Canada" The work Is
laden with statistics in the compilation
of which Mr.. C.hill became acquainted
with the glass trade. When asked about
the tariff he said: Il believe that the flint
glass, window glass and green bottle glass
Industries could all survive If the duty on
their products were removed entirely. l
believe too that the removal OF the duties
would not deere ase wages one penny. The
tariff is positive detriment 10 the glass
workers, for while II does not affect the
wages in the least II compels them 10 pay
heavy tribute Oh the clothes they wear and
the food they eat The Mills bill does not
decrease the so-taled protection on glass,
but favor il because ii lessons the cost of
many articles glass workers are compelled
70 buy. Look al our industries. in the
pressed branch of the flint glass trade We
can manufacture cheaper than anywhere
in the world The same is true of the
chimney branch. One man in the pre-
scrip,ion branch can, with American facil-
tiles, turn out third more WORK than a
man in any other country. The general
castor work is the only branch that might
be affected by tariff, and that includes but
about 14O workers in TIT United States and
Canada.
IF the tariff regulates wages, why is it
that the flint glass workers OF England get
as nigh wages as our workers, and the
workers in protected Germany and France
get about half what free trade England :
workers get. The fact is, tariff has nothing
70 do with IT, England has tie best flint
glass union in the world, carrying treas
OF $2jO.000, and that is why the workmen
there get good wages. Our people are
exporting everywhere now. In the table
ware line two thirds of the glass used in
the world is manufactured here. The
tumblar M anufactory at Rochester, Pa, is
sending its tumblers all over the globe.
Withall, Tatam Il Co, of New jersey,
have the largest flint glass prescription
works in the United States, and they pay
the highest wages; yet their wares go into
nearly every port where there is demand
for them.
Here is an interesting fact. In the last
window glass lock out, which lasted eight
months, Tour or FIVE years ago the manu-
facturers formed syndicate and Ordeiei u
lot of window glass from across the water
to supply their customers. When it came
they could nor afford TO pay the duty
They tried ~ nave the government Issue
rebate TO them, but guess that glass is
still lying in the custom house. lake
another case. ln 1888 there was an in
crease of from One.four.h To one-haif cent
per pound in the duty on green bottle
glass, and yet almost immediately after the
increase there came lockout OF eight
months TO obtain a reduction of from 10 TO
20 per cent in wages
| have talked with flint glass manufac-
turers, and they invariably care nothing for
the tariff unless il We 10 get free materials
such as are used for coloring and tiux.
They say they can manufacture here
cheaper than anywhere in the world, and If
they could get the free raw materials they
could manufacture still more cheaply.
Such being the tact, see what grand
opportunity for the development of trusts
and monopolies is presented. The average
duty on flint glass articles is a. per cent,
and window glass sc per cent. Some
looking glass runs to 90 cents per square
foot, and On some the duty exceeds the
intrinsic value OF the glass, The duty on
green bottle glass runs from one to three
cents per pound. You see there is album
dant margin. Another thing is that those
who claim that tariff regulates the glass
workers wages, have never satisfactorily
explained the difference in wages paid in
the east and the west. The difference is
so great that manufacturers and workmen
of the west concede to the east ten per
c. Mt less wages in all their calculations.
No, sir, the Mills bill should pass. 1t will
benefit all glass workers, and will not
reduce the wages of any considerable