The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-10-31
Tho Fliass Ptesea, Their Case.
FLINT GLAsswoRKERs' UNION,

FLINT STuLASSWoRkERS UNION. :
PITTSBURGH, December %, 1889.
To ths Members Of he Ways and Means Committee
OF he House Of Representatives:
GESTLEMEN:-As the flint glass manu-.
iacturers have appeared before you to
present their statement touching the
subject OF duties on flint glassware, we
shall not occupy any more Of your time
by verbal stGtements in relation to this
subject, but we respectfully submit this
paper Us embodying the thought OF the
workers regarding the condition OF the
Hint gsass trade, tho causes thereof, and
the necessity for governmental relief.
While the consumption OF flint glass
generally has been increased by being
adapted to new uses, and by the increase
OF population, yet it is fact that the
manufacture OF fine blown, cut and en-
grayed goods has not shared the increase,
but has, on the contrary, been dimjp.
ished. Houses that were engaged ex.
tcnslvely in tho manufacture OF such
goods few years ago have ceased en-
tireiy to operate, or have ceased to oper-
ate on fine blown goods; or, if still en-
gagged il their manufacture, are oper-
aling less extensively and less contiu.
uously than formerly.
The results OF this condition have
iallen heaviest upon the workers. Not
Withstanding their efforts to improve
their condition by lessening the cost Of
fine blown products, their average
weekly earnings have been gradually re-
ouced by frequent loss OF time until
they barely afford subsistence.
The principal cause OF this deplorable
condition is 10 be found in The ercessire
quantity Of foreign made goods annually
Imported into hc United States,
The report Of the Treasury Depart-
ment- for-tho year of 1859 shows the
value OF "all other" glassware imported
into the United States for the year end
ing June 80, 1889, to have been s., 1885,
0O3. The Language "all other" we take
to apply particularly to fine blown
goods. In this reported value Of i'm
ports charges for packages, packing,
brokerage, consular fees, inland freishts
and shipping charges, which add to the
cost Of the goods, cut no figure. These,
il added to the reported value OF the i'm
ports, would make their value consider
ably greater.
We recently saw an invoice OF goods
IN which the value set down at the
place OF production was $3.50, vet which
cost, when laid down at their final des.
tination in the United States, SI,269.
Accepting this statement as basis for
calculating the real value Of the imports
IN the United States markets, we find
the value OF imports to be, all charges
considered, S3,Si4Gll representing a
greater volume Of business than is done
in fine blown goods by nearly NIL the
U nlted States houses combined.
The causes that enable 80 much for
elgn glassware to be imported into the
United States to the detrimert Of the
home industry are the cheaper labor Of
Foreign countries and tho inade9uacy OF the
aa.y tesied on he goods.
From the most reliable data obtaina-
BILE on the subject the cost Of labor in
German States, whence the bulk OF these
goods is imported, may be set down at
one-third of the cost in the United
States; thatof Grea: Britain fiye.eighths,
and that OF France ut medium between
that OF tue German States and that OF
Great Britain. -.
This vast difference in the cost OF labor
between foreign countiies and the United
States makes it almost impossible for
the home product to compete against for.
eisn made goods in the markets OF tho
United States, under the present duty.
To show tho disadvantage against
which the home product must compete,
We present herewith q table showing
the approximate cost Of manufacturing
certain goods and the prices at whici.
competing loreign goods have been laid
down in New York duty paid: