The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-06-25
DUTIES on GLASS.
A Delegation OF Manufacturers TO Protest
Aguinis Amy Reduction.

a Delegatl8a OF Manufacturers to PFetes
Aguinis Amy Reduction.
WASHINGTON, June ga large dele
CATION OF glass manufacturers are her
to-day to protest against the reduction
on duties on glass and glass ware, made
by the Senate committee in the House
bill. The plate glass manufacturers are
particularly anxious, and declare that /
the Senate bill becomes law It will ruin
their business.
Itappears that within comparatively
short time, a business has grown up Ia
New York city OF importing partly ln.
ished plate glass and finishing It in New
York. This glass ID polished one side
and obscured on the other side, and In
this way was entered rs man uiacturc
Of glass, dutiable at 45 per cent al valo.
rem, instead Of being subject to the spe.
ciiic duty imposed OH plate glass. BY
the use Of machinery and employment
Of small amount Of labor, the glass is
finished into the full polished plate
glass.
This way OF evading tho tariff made
considerable inroads in the glass manu-.
facture in this country, both in plate
glass and window glass ground. The
Ways and Means Committee, IN their
bill, provided that plate glass, ground
or obscured shall be subject TO the same
rate Of duty as cast polished glass unsil.
vered, but the Senate Committee struck
that provision out and made the duty
on ground or obsCured glass 10 per cent
ad valorem In addition to the specific
rates otherwise imposed. They also
made some other changes in the glass
schedule and the manufacturers who
arc here to-day assert that their business
will be seriously injured II they are not
given the rates provided in the House
6ifl.
The importations OF window glass
greatly increased under the reduction
in duties OF 1883, but the competition Of
the home manufacturers has greatly re-
duced prices. Prior to the establish
ment OF the plate glass industry in this
country the importers in New York, in
combination with the agents OF foreign
manufacturers, created and maintained
a monopoly ia the price OF plate glass by
which the American consumer was
made to pay on m average - to s. so
per foot for such glass as was used in
this country. BY reason OF the estab-
lishment OF works in this country, and
the protection given them by the Gov
ernmcnt, the price OF plate glass has
been reduced more than oue.half, or IN
average Of less than 81 per square foot.
Eightv.tiYe per cent OF the cost OF the
glass is said to be actually paid for labor,
and the same is true of window glass.
The manufacturers claim that they pay
on IN average Of between 100 and 200
per cent higher wuges than are paid in
Belgium, and that this country is capa.
Die OF supplying the whole consumptive
demand If proper protection is given to
make up the difference in the price OF
labor. The window glass manufacturers
are making like complaint.
After the reduction Of duties OF 1883,
the total imports OF cylinder window
giass increased over 6i 600 600 pounds in
four years, and instead OF reducing the
revenue by reduction OF duty, the rev.
enue actually increased 81 ,o47,0O0.
The manufacturers ask for rate Of
duty that would meet this increasing
foreign importation, and the House gave
1t to them but the Senate cut it down.
Hence the presence here OF glass manu-.
facturers to protest against this treat
ment.
The Senate committee made larger
cut in the average rates on the earthen.
ware and glassware schedule than on
any others. Under the House bill the
average rate was So IS. while under the
Senate bill it was so So, but the cut was
made on only few OF the articles.