New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-09-18


disclosed by and during the pending investIga-
ton.
THE TARIFF on POTTERY.
After the tariff on pottery had been discussed on
Saturday by Representative lkert from the stand
point OF a statesman who is free trader and IA
vors incidental protection to American industries.
the same subject was further discussed by two
manufacturers and two men VINO WORK in pot
teries for wages. one Of the manufacturers was
Henry Brunt, Of Baltimore. As boy and man he
worked in an English pottery ten years as work
ing potter and also as a manager and he has been
in the same business in the United States Tor twelve
years first as workman. next as manager and
during the last three years as manufacturer: lie
and give the reasons why he wants the existing
duties retained In the first place any reduction
and 10 that ne was unaterably opposed because he
himself worked Tor frce-tfade WAGES: ana ne never
manager in England ne had cnaiEe OF me EN-.
ployment Of the operatives ana tnereiore Knew wnat
they received in the different classes OF employ
ment He also employs operatives in this coun-
try. and he read an int resting table showing the
wages that are laid TO men ana women Dogs ana
girls in English potteries. and TO men and women.
boys and girls. in American potterles AGcor1ng 10
taking all the branches Of labor In pottery are
Vas wa ssked nv Dtmocratic member OF the commit
tee If wages had not increased in England since he
negative so FAR as the pottery industry was con-
ccrned. He came TO this country ne said because use
a strike was impending among the workers IN the
notteries who Lad demanded that their wages
should be restored to the former rates The former
rate was per cent higher than they were then re-;
ceiving lie said they have never yet succeeded
in obtaining that restoration When manage IN
nf Materials for the pottery and he said that the
cost. as compared with the cost of materials which
age in the prices Of all material in the nited
States q pr cen, higher than IN l9an1 re
would make the workmen less ambitious less hon
"Hon one he said 'is quite as much a matter
of potatoes as ii is OF principles; H.,
The WORKING pSrr bones f citizen T Reucc his
wages to the English level and ne would soon a., dc-
Erunt reminded the committee that the pottery in
dustry in England was established undet S! ,
mnortation of crockery into that country for sale
il took 800 years for England to plant her indus
tries and establish them on 50 firm basis that she
could remove the barriers OF protection
WHAT REDUCTION WOULD MEAN.
William Burgess n pottery manufacturer of Tren-
ton who has enjoyed special opportunities to in
vestgate the condition of the pottery Industry III
England. well as in the United states spoke III
behalf of the manufacturers. lie SAID That any re-
duction I'm the rates of duty would not be a ques-
ton of the reduction OF profits. but reduction IN
wages The industry has not been very prolliahi"
one to the manufacturers for a number OF years
past and he doubted If many OF them had real
lied so large - profit as per cent a year As ~ per
duction in the duties would inevitably be Injurious
TO the workngmen IE vas @pposru Us even II
maid hv the manufacturers. \ reduction Of u per
d ner cent in the wages of labor. The manuiact
urers could stand reduction better man W. mo n
the United states twenty-six OF which are IN
Nev-Jersey and twenty-eSht IN ono, Apout SN'v',
C0O OF capital Is invested in tho industry The an
nual output of which amounts TO from SNNprW 10
5000 OOD a year. The yearly purchase o. material
Amounts Amounts is is Siso about s The number Of per
sons employed in the industry ranges from 1000
little more than one-half of the domestic consuinp-
ton. Mr.. Burgess strongly opposed inc proposi,,
ton to repeal the duties OF packages ana nlaip'
trade trd lsportatiOn which he asserted from III
formation which he bad ohtaIned IN ms oinc l;,
capacity consul nj Tunst1n, hnylah' Id''S
never exceeded ) per cent OF the dIty. a., ,,-
eign manufacturer pays no phrt ol ur uu.s "i u
therefore that the American consumer pays an,
their prices 10 meet every ncr'asr IN ~" h,"s
OF duty. He exhibited some snmplrs 9I pid!,rS
ton Of English ware. AZ the request Of one OF ms
customers. They were made To- be- sofa a. ~ Genus
bv him I'm Trenton were in every respect equai 10
the English wares which had been imported duty
shsn5 to se them at the Rre al ETosG for
found that they III same plates tsat he had
we're there sold at 70 Genis a"iecc or 81 - dozen.
lie also dcrided the statement that tn american
manufacturer Is protected hy geographical adj
vantage He said that the freight on cTockery
from LverpooI TO Sew h%I lregI'nt ,, 's ,S
cost Of transportation from Liverpool to inland
|
from Trenton to the same places.
VIEWS or W0KNINGNEN.
The working pot,crs who addressed the commit
tee were T. 4 Walker Of Trenton and W y.
Lake OF East Liverpool Jhio. They represented
the National Potters Union and pleaded earnestly
for the retention OF te present rates OF duty. MI
Walker said
I'VE feel and know that We are benefited hy the
tariff at least a. much a. the manuiaAkf"rs are
and that We have an advantage Of 81 q 81 ~ per
cent on account Of il in the rate az our wages
lie wanted 70 repcl the suggestion that th"
working potters had come in response 10 IA" re-
quest or desire of manufacturers. or that IN" lat
ter had exercised intu"nc" whatever iu tn"
matter. They did not come 10 speak as manuihct-
urers or for manufacturers TT as W'ihlnni"rm
general reduction OF Nds" ~ IN" p"l",'E li'l"hu
in this country since 1871. bat there had been a
Slight reduction in the wages paid on several Of the
cOarscr grades ~ pottery that ma h1' hHr'. 80
in general He knew that prices hdI b"rn reduced
than th{y did ten years ago Mr. iynum had as
serted that WAGES IN me trenton M 70 ".,~
Of 1880 This statement Mr Naikcr d'Ilel point
blank. except az TO few employ ohsat"l ~.
shi in ma" npposng am reducion of duties he spoke
the sentiments Of every workingman engaged IN
the industry. Mr. Lake made the sam" statement.
me impor;ers of and wholesale dealers In pot
tory were represented by Jerome Jones. Of Bos-
ton who had been delegated 10 appear la behalf
Of the National Association of Wholesale Pottery
Dealers lie admittci that IA" prices of good
crockcry ware hay" been reduced within the last
twenty years. but D." attributed that To improved
processes of manufacture. rather lhan 10 domestic
competition. lie complained Of IN" ambiguity "i
the existing tariff Law. ana advocated either IN"
repeal of the dIiy on package and inland freight
charges or reduction Of l. per cent IN the rates
Of duty. The importers. h" said. also desired TO
have the system Of damage allow 1nc's restored
He also advocated The repeal Of IN" duties on all
raw materials and spoke eOlucntN OF ~" merits
ami cheapn~ss Of Nosa Scotia coal Mr. Jones com,
smoke highly II the present board which he said
had done much good. H. spoke about combn1-
lions among the manufacturers Of certain kinds
of pottery 10 control prices as q bar To comp"ti-
ton I'm those gradrs. Mr. Payne asked him II
tho combination had put uD the prices Of the wares
referred to- ana he replied in the negative "a
response. TO questions by Mr.. Payne he also adj
tniffcd that the association of which he Is mem
Der fixes the prices Of tn crates. boxes. barrels
etc in which their goods are Shipped 10 tus-
toners, and also th" rates of discount On uue
purchases An attempt had also boon mad" To TX
prices Of crockcry. but IL failed because. as MI.
Jones expressed IT, "there were too many holes
L.. IL Il llrIfla