Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-10
WAGES IN. ENGLAND.
Seven Dollars and a Half Is the
Amount Earned Weekly by
BOTTLE BLOWERS IN YORKSHIRE.
An Englishman Says the Queen Should Alb
dicate in Favor of Wales.
GLADsT0NEs LIFE A POLITICAL FACTOR

Green bottle blowers in England do not
make very high wages. Fifteen dollars a
week are the average earnings of the men
employed by John Wilkinson, Yorkshire
bottle manufacturer who is stopping at the
st. James Hotel. He said last night that
the custom in England was to pay bottle
blowers by the week.
"Our men," be said, "work five days in
the week, and receive 81 55 for 911 hours
work each day. In that time they are ex-
pected to turn out 62 dozen of pint or quart
bottles, and that any good man can do in
working six hours day. For every bottle
made over that quantity they are paid extra,
and the average weekly earnings are about
S15 week.
''How does the Mckinley tariff affect your
business2" was asked.
''Only that it has completely stopped the
expectation of bottles to this country. We
would be very glad, indeed, to sell your
people bottles, but we don't like to pay 80
per cent duty for the pleasure. Just now
we are considering some means of cheaper
ing the cost of manufacture, and my visit
here is partly to see what American makers
are doing" e
TANKS PREFERRED TO POTS.
1--WE make our glass in tanks, having
found them more economical than cruel bles
or pots, as you call them. The next inno-
vation in the bottle business will be the
introduction of machinery to dispense with
with some of the hand labor. We have
something new in this direction in contem-
plation at our works near Sheffield, but I
prefer not to say anything as to its nature
You may think that the wages earned by
our glass blowers are out of all comparison
with what these tradesmen earn in this
country, but I am satisfied from what I
have learned here that our workmen
are as well paid as yours. How?
Well, simply because I have
satisfied myself that the cost of living here
is just double what it is in England. The
man who earns SIS week with us is just as
comfortably off as the man who draws $50 in
America Take your lowest standard of
price,.5 cents. We can buy for 2 cents
what you pay for, and so on"
Leaving his subject, Mr.. Wilkinson di-
gressed to English politics He was
Gladstonian Liberal, he said, and believed
in the Grand Old Man.
ing more than bidding against the life of
Mr.. Gladstone" said Mr.. Wilkinson. ''The
question is what is that life worth? For
myself must say don't think it is worth
years purchase. The Government is of
the same opinion, and if it can continue in
Office for that time it will outlive the old
statesman. His death will cause a dis
ruption of the Unionist and aresuscitation
of the Liberal party, led by Sir William
Harcourt or John Morley. Of the two Sir
William is entitled to the leadership by
nature of his long services"
FEELING ABOUT THE SUCCESSION.
sfWhat is the feeling in England about
the succession to the throne?"
"Well, can give you my own opinion,
which is that if the Prince of Wales will be
ever fitted to reign, he should be now. I
think the feeling is pretty well understood
that the Queen should abdicate in favor of
the Prince, and it is reasonable to urge that
if he ever is to sit on the throne he never
will be better qualified than he is at pres
ent. The baccarat business did him no
harm, and he is just as popular to-day in
England as ever he was"
. Mr.. Wilkinson was very wroth he could
not get glass of beer or wine with his din
ner yesterday.
SIT is outrageous he said, "that in a
country which boasts of its freedom as this
does, that any man should dictate to another
what he shall or shall not eat or drink 1t
is perfectly monstrous, my boy, that here in
this city find it is impossible to buy
glass of soda water or cigar on Sunday.
And you call yourselves free, and talk
about your ibertyl When 1 am leaving
New York Harbor shall take off my hat to
your Goddess of Liberty, and wish you joy
of all the liberty Won possess"