Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-17
EVADING THE TARIFF
German Glass Manufacturers Finish
ing Their Ware in America.
IMPORTING MEN TO DO THE WORK.
The Carbon Iron Works Strike is Officially
Sanctioned.
MACHINlSTS' STRIKE STILL UNSETTLED

A movement is afoot by European glass
factory which involves violation of the
alien contract labor law, and an attempt to
evade the American tariff The Wuerzbrot
Glass Company, of Munich, Bavaria, rroba.
bly, owns and operates the largest decorated
glass works in the world. It employs
thousands of men and turns out as fine a
grade of ware as is possible to make. The
tariff placed on that line of goods has always
restricted, to some extent, the expectation
of decorated ware, and now that the rates
are to be increased, the firm has set about to
devise means to escape paying them.
The following extract from letter re-
ceived by W. A. Miksch, an employe OF
Thomas Evans & Co.'s glasshouse on the
Southside, from friend in Munich, e1-
plains the whole plan contemplated by the
company.
"a gentleman from Munich is starting big
decorating establishment in America. 1t is on
account of the increased tariff to be placed on
those goods, which would make it impossible
for our manufacturers to ship much to America.
About 25 decorators were sent to New York a
week ago, and understand that 50 more are to
follow. Joseph Beman is to be foreman of the
new shop. Mr.. Wuerzbrot himself. will stay
in Munich to superintend the manufacture of
the goods, which will be shipped in plain con-
dition to New York. to be decorated. In my
next 1 can tell you where the shop will be
located, and can also give you more particulars.
THE ENTERING WEDGE.
A DISPATCH reporter found Mr.. Miksch
on the Southside yesterday afternoon. The
gentleman is a native of Bavaria, and is
we'll educated. In speaking of the contents
of his letter, he said: 81 regard this as the
entering wedge of an attempt on the part OF
European manufacturers to break down two
of the most important laws now in existence
for the protection of the American manu-
facturers as we'll as the workingmen. I am
well acquainted with the company that has
evidently been selected as the one to take
the initiatory steps. It expects to ship its
plain ware in here as raw material, and 1
guess it can do it. It also expects to bring
it's own workmen here and pay them less
wages than American decorators are paid,
and in this way to save 35 per cent on the
tariff, and turn out its ware at less cost
than American manufacturers can.
1.-THE average wages per week paid deco
rators in Bavaria amounts to about 20
marks, or So in United States money.
Suppose the company represents to the
men that it will pay them 40 marks if they
come to New York to work for them, and
they will be able to live on less than half
that amount. The men will think they can
save more money than they make at home
altogether, and it will not be hard to get
them to come. If the plan now contem-
plated by the Wuerzbrot Company prove
successful, 1t will not be long until Strausse
and Klingenberg will follow the example. If
the Mckinley bill passes in its present
shape it will completely destroy all possibil-
ity OF the European manufacturers compel
ing with the American. In anticipation of
the bill passing, I am told that all of the
manufacturers over there have been rushed
with orders that were taken on the condi-
tion that they be shipped on OF before July
81, at which time it was supposed the bill
would become law. I understand that
Pittsburg jobbers have laid in stocks suf-
icient to run them for two or three years,
in order TO avoid the duty.
ANOTHER IMPORTANT POINT.
"There is another question involved in
this measure-that of importing foreign
labor. Suppose they bring 75men here, as
is proposed, and the enterprise is a failure;
there will be 75 workmen thrown upon the
labor market with nothing to do. I don't
believe there are more than 100 fine decor
ators in the country, and an additional rs
WOulQ nave wonderfully ueInOIallZluS
effect on the rest of us. The decorators are
unorganized, but we still get fair wages
ranging from s. 30 to S. a day, according
to the class of work employed at-but if our
numbers were nearly doubled, without a
proportionate increase in the demand for
labor, I don't know what would become Of
u.s."
There can be no mistake about the inten-
tions of the Wuerzbrot COMPANY, Mr..
Bieman, the gentleman mentioned in the
letter to Mr.. Miksch, has written to friend
in Phillipsburg, since his arrival In New
York, explaining in detail the purposes Of
the company he represents. He says he is
to be foreman Of the shops, and that the
latter will be located in New York City.
Preparations are now being made to put the
25 men who came with Mr.. Bieman to work,
and as soon as the tariff bill passes, if it
passes at all, the other 30 men will be
brought over,