The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-12-30

t1C dLlO CAPC0b navy iAOA
wages increased. Not very long age a trust
among chandelier manufacturers was
formed, but fortunately for the workmen in
the trade it failed. This trust had a presi-
dent who received $4,000 a year and who
did not even write a letter in return for his
income. He was paid this enormous sum
for turning his factory over to the trust.
Now right here let me ask you a question.
Where did that $4,000 a year come from:
Did it not come out of the work of the
employees of the trust? OF course it did,
and every mothers son who barred his aTm
for that trust had to do his share towards
| paying that $4,000 salary. Wages had to
be cut down and the workmen were told
that the tariff did it or that the hard times
caused it, The workmen had to be salts
fed. If they left one shop they could
not go to another for employment.
TIL trust was i'll control, and if a man left
one shop that settled him, at least as far as
| employment in that particular section of
the country in which the trust held sway
was concerned. Two men who were EN-
| ployed by that trust came to NE for en-
ployment, and said that they could not earn
more than twelve or thirteen dollars a week.
l gave them employment in my shop, and
now one of them is earning sixteen dollars
and a half and the other seventeen dollars a
week. No doubt there are hundreds OF such
cases as these at the present time in our
i CVulll y - l0 III 1AtALAC oA1 AAANS "ASAA
tariff dust, but the real cause of their re-
duction in salary is the trust. l do not be-
lieve that the tariff, no matter how ar
ranged, will ever have any direct bearing on
w~orkingmen.'
POCKET BOOK BUSINESS.
The prevailing cry of distress among the
poor of the northern section of the Heights
does not appear to result from laying off of
hands in the big factories of that section, as
has been alleged. l talked with two of the
leading manufacturers up there this morning,
and in one case at least | found that not
only is the full force of hands employed in
perhaps the largest factory of the ~neighbor-
hood been kept steadily busy, but that for
weeks they had worked overtime.
The case | refer to is that of John Mehl,
Jr.. & Co. S pocket book mandatory, where
in over three hundred hands are employed.
The fact that trade has been lively in the
manufacture of pocket books may OF may
not be suggestive of hard times, But
certain it is that those in
that industry for support lave had no occa-
ion to grumble for want of work. And
what is more the outlook for the spring trade
is encouraging, and while all the hands en-
ployed in the factory mentioned above, with
the exception of about fifty, may be laid off
for a couple of days next week while an ac-
count of stock is being taken, as is done every
year, GQe ldcUOT1 VIII SudIb Will d LUZ
on january z for the manufacture of goods
for the spring trade. Mr.. Henry Neil ex-
pressed the opinion that the Wilson bill
would not interfere with trade in that line,
but would nave a tendency to stimulate the
Western trade.
WANT ACTION ON THE WILSON BILL.
Matters did not look quite so encouraging
at the factory of Louis Pattberg & Bros, in
Franklin street, vet even there the outlook
rx1or ~ co IraopTr oc ono MIGHT no un hn0J1
led to suppose. The firm employs about one
hundred and fifty hands in manil-
featuring fancy goods: In res
ponse to questions, Mr.. Pattberg
admitted that the firm had felt the pinch of
the recent financial depression, as he believed
most manufacturers in this county had. The
market had not been as brisk during the past
few months as during corresponding periods
of former years, and there were but few
orders on hand. That was usual after the
holiday trade. But while the main force
was laid off, as usual, at this time of the
year, when an account of stock is taken,
most of the old hands would be taken on
again at the first of the year, and the bust
ness of manufacturing sample and new
goods would be pushed ahead. Mr.. Pattberg
said he thought that the depression of trade
in general was due partially. at
least, to over production, but was
mainly brought about b-yindisposition on the
part of manufacturers to further produce
until they were satisfied as to what will be
done concerning the tariff. The Mckinley
bill, he said, completely ruined one branch
of his business, that of manufacturing al
buns, because it cut the duty on all such
goods from 50 to 35 per cent, but raised the
duty on materials for the manufacture of
such, and now the Wilson bill would cut
the duty on the albums ten per cent. more.
DRUG TRADE PROSPECTS.
Tn ror1r IN q r11ac+iOn q c to hnU 10nn f1a
present ~stagnation in trade would probably
continue, Mr.. Eugene Hartnett, the well
known druggist, said:-''I havn't the slight
est idea. l can frankly acknowledge that
in the drng trade, business has been dull for
the past year. The drug and medicine bust
ness does not fuetuate at any time or under
any circumstances to any great extent, SO far
in volume and such has been my experience
and that of others in the drug trade last
year"
SIS the outlook for a change in business
brightW 1 asked.
II cannot say that it is. In my opinion,
business will not be brisker in the spring
than it is now. Investors have lost money
heavily in the channels of trade, and they
will not venture far now.
"We can look about us in the lower sec
ton of the city, and see that business is dull.
Building has ceased, and all classes of trade
appear to be affected alike.
II have considered the contemplated ma
tional legislation, but I cannot see that it
will have either a booming or depressing
effect upon trade.
Failures LAY been so numerous and mills
and factories lave shut down to such
an extent that until investors be-
gin again to put out money
this dizziness will continue. 1t is a lack of
trust and confidence that is causing the
trouble. The demand for all classes of ma
terials is not as great as it has been and until
money is put into business the demand will
not be any greater thar it is at present. It
Is the demand every time, not politics, that
controls business. 1 have fears for the
spring trade but | hope to be pleasantly dis
appointed"
A REPUBLICAN OPINION.
Mr.. Robert McAndrew, a republican,
who, by virtue of his position as agent of the
George r. Mackenzie estate, is well versed
in the condition of the real estate market,
in discussing the present dull condition
the spring, said:-s'The contemplated pass
age of the Wilson bill is bound to add
depression to the already stagnated condi-
ton of affairs. Its passage means lower
wages, and lower wages of a necessity will
drive rents down and depreciate the value of
property. During the past year there
has been but little, if any business in
the real estate market. Prevailing
prices are low and so are rents. The
shutting down of mills and factories
and even the reduction of the time of men
who are working has made money exceed
ingly scarce. People renting houses are ex-
The real estate market will be duller and
nf.onprtv chaaror. hefora IT. raoainc ifc old