Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-30
EITHER LESS WAGES
Or More Tariff Said to be Necessary
for the Window Glass Indus
try in America.
4 BIG MANUFACTURERS VIEWS.
Why the Present Rate of Duty on Foreign
lmpOrtatiOns is Not So Protective
as Formerly.
INTERESTING FACTS AND FIGURES
4 BIG MANUFACTURERS VIEWS
INTERESTING FACTS AND FIGURES
Absut the Commercial War to the Knife Between
Pittsburg and Belgium.
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE prspArcH.l

CHICAGO, July 29.-From the standpoint
of manufacturer one gets a very different
view of the present status of the window
glass trade from that which was presented
In last Thursdays telegram containing an
interview with leading Chicago jobber
and importer. II any manufacturing con-
cern, more than another, is responsible for
the great stifening in the prices Of window
glass that has taken place since last Decem-
Der it is the United Glass Company, of Syra-
cuse, n. Y, which, from its headquarters in
the Chicago Auditorium building, operates
1s factories, stretching through New York,
Northern Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and
Illinois.
The Secretary Of that company, Mr.. o. E.
Frazee, had long talk this evening with
THE DISPATCH correspondent with refer
ence to the importation of foreign window
glass, in which he took up all the points
made in the interview referred to. "The
gentleman speaks of it as surprising that so
much foreign window glass is coming in,"
said Mr.. Frazee. 1.-THE fact is that as much
rs
A MILLION BOXES
has been coming in on an average every
year for the last ten years. We
regret it and regret that we
have not been able to prevent
it. The trouble is that they manufacture
glass so cheaply in Belgium that they can
bring it into this country and pay the duty
and still undersell the American manu-
facturer. The price OF American goods is not
excessive now. And 1t is fact, further,
that the price has not advanced 25 per cent
uf1 1oe fo1 &ol
that has taken place has been from a price
that was considerably below the cost of
making the glass. The first advance was
made in December, 1889. At that time
everything was demoralized. Each man
was cutting the others business badly. The
result was that the price was from 10 to Is
per cent below the cost of production.
NOT VERY PROFITABLE.
"Some sales were made at more than 20
per cent below the cost of manufacture An
effort was made then to make more uniform
prices through cooperation on the part of
the manufacturers. Since that time there
has been more or less cooperation between
the principal manufacturers of the country,
as has been the custom most of the time for
the last 10 years, and as is the custom now
IN most branches of business. We paid
during the season just closed an average of
more than per cent advance in wages to
skilled workmen in the trade, and chem
icals used in the business have advanced
more than that-from 8 to II per cent. So
that the cost of production was somewhat
greater last year than it was before"
Is it not true that the price established
March is 25 per cent higher than the price
three months before that date?''
There may have been an advance of 25
Nn0R 0anf
on March (which is the price to-day
with some exceptionally low prices in De
cember, but, comparing the average price
with present prices, the increase is not so
great as 25 per cent. When speak of ex-
ceptionally low prices mean those which
were established by people who had to real
lze on their product every week-those who
had gone into the business without sufficient
capital, and who were compelled to sell at
loss in order to realize money to pay their
men each week. Yes, there are great
many such cases."
HARD TO DETERMINE.
"a great many people would like to know
how much the price now is above the cost of
production.
"It is pretty hard to answer question
like thai" said Mr.. Frazee. "The cost OF
production varies with each section of coun-
try, and is largely influenced by the quanti- |
ty produced in given time. The produc- |
tion has been less, probably, during the last |
season, owing to the scarcity of skilled work. |
men, which is caused by the restriction of |
apprenticeships by labor organizations.
4 "Did not the early closing OF the factories |
Tor the summer months have something to |
do with the quantity of window glass pro-
duced last season?'
mo; they ran to about the same time as
usual"
Recurring to the importation of Belgian |
window glass, Mr.. Frszee, in confirmation |
OF his previous statement, cited figures to |
show that in 1889 the entire consumption of |
window glass was 4, $50, ,835 boxes, of which |
l, ,249, 576 boxes was imported-about two |
sevenths of the whole-and he said that fig |
ures for other years showed about the same |
ratio and some larger importation of for |
eigu goods; for instance, in 1884 the total |
consumption was 3, ,268, ,221 boxes, of which |
:, 225, 800 boxes was imported.
AS TO QUALITY.
When asked if the foreign window glass |
was superior in quality to the American |
article he said: 'The best of it, the selected,
probably is. They take more pains in some
portions of their work, especially the fat |
tening, which we cannot afford to do on &C.
COuuh VI Tue price VI
docs its superior quality have anything |
10 do with the importation of foreign CLASP" |
"No doubt il does for some special uses,
such as for photography and pictures, and |
in the East it is preferred for other uses by /
reason of prejudice. Probably more of it is |
sold in New England than anywhere else. |
But the principal reason for its importation |
is its ch8pness. They have gradually |
cheapened the cost Of production |
on the other side 30 that it does not now |
cost more than ffty-fve (55) per cent as |
much as it cost ten years ago. There is |
that much difference between the invoice |
price of foreign glass in New York to-day |
and that of ten years ago, and it cannot be |
accounted for in any other way than by a
decrease in the cost of production"
"Has there been any corresponding de-
crease in the cost of production of window
glass in this country within the same time
1.-THE last ten years?"
NOT MUCH IN COMPARISON.
"There has, somewhat, within the last ten
years" replied Mr.. Frazee, "but 1 cannot
give it in figures. 1t will not compare in
extent with the decrease over there. There |
is one thing in which 1 agree with the job
Der whom you interviewed the other day. |
That is that the million boxes of window
glass which are now imported should be |
made in this country"
SLOW are you going to produce that re-
sult9"
"There are only two ways in which that |
can be done. One is an increase of the |
tariff The other is decrease of |
the cost Of production. The latter can |
be done only through a reduction |
of the wages paid TO skilled laborcrs. The /
only way we can keep out that 1.000, 900 |