The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-03-28
TRENTON POTTERS
Their Complaints Against
the Tariff Not Founded
on Fact.
AMPLY PROTECTED IN EVERY WAY
Can Well Afford to Pay the Wages
Asked By Their Employees
Consul Warmers Report.

TunStal, England, which the department OF
State has just made public be correct, the
pottery manufacturers of Trenton can find no
possible ground for complaint against the
provisions of the new tariff bill, says the
Washington correspondent of the Trenton
True American. In this report Consul
Warner says
'sAfter the most careful investigation, 1
am convinced that if like articles could be
compared in all branches of the trade, and
all differences between methods and con-
veniences adjusted, there would not be over
20 per cent difference in the cost of labor
between Staffordshire and Trenton"
According to this report, therefore, the
difference in labor cost is twenty per cent.
Yet in the new tariff bill the tariff on
decorated china and earthenwareis is forty-five
per cent. and on undecorated ware forty per
cent. In other words, the proposed tariff,
although slightly reduced from the rates of
the Mckinley law, is yet double the differ
ence in cost of labor.
MIR. BURGESS MAKES A REPORT.
The State Department also makes public
in connection with Mr.. Warmers document
the report made by Consul Burgess of Tren-
ton, and written at Tunstall, year ago. on
the cost of living at Tunstan. While Mr..
Burgess simply presents comparative fig
ures, without giving his own deductions, he
shows that the American pottery worker
can purchase just as cheaply in this country
as his English fellow workmen. This is
especially true of house furnishings and
most articles of provisions, but clothing is
generally cheaper in England than the
i flxvS
per cent. higher in this country, but Mr..
Burgess points out that the house in which
the Trenton potter lives is a better home
than the English potter inhabits. Regard
ing this question of house rent Mr.. Burgess
says
TRENTON AND ENGLISH HOMES
Gin the United States we consider the rent
paid for the house fixed quantity, and the
fact that a house in Trenton, containing six
or seven rooms, rents for IS per month, and
a similar one as to the number Of rooms in
Burslem rents for S4 per month, would at
once strike one that the difference in house
rent was very great. In England, however,
there are other expenses to be paid by the
tenant, and the difference in the construc-
tlon OF the house In ITSELF entails addlClonai
outlay.
ssWhat does the workingJnan get for his
SS in Trenton, and what does he get for his
81 in Burslems In the former he has a
house with good cellar under the entire
house: hot and coidwat In his kitchen.
and in many cases in other parts of the
house; closets in almost every room; gas,
and generally a nice little garden, the size
depending on the part of the city. In the
latter, in many cases, a set of brick walls,
built upon the surface of the ground with
only shallow foundation Where there IS
a cellar it is only small one unoer one
room, cold water tap, sometimes inside and
sometimes outside the kitchen; no closets,
necessitating the expense of ''dressers,"
wardrobes, or movable closets of some sort
on the part of the tenant. sometimes, but
rarely, gas; and if any yard, small one en-
tirely paved with brick.
HOW THE ENGLISH WORKMAN IS TAXED.
ssBeside the rent of S4 he must pay all
rates, taxes, church tithes, and water rates
on the property, and must keep the house in
repair inside and leave it in good condition.
There are other elements entering into the
cost of living in England which may be
named here, of which the American work
man knows nothing, viz, stamp duties,
licenses ETC. If he wishes a lease or perhaps
a deed for the property, he must have said
document stamped by the Government with
stamp of the value of from 10 cents to
50 so, according to the rental agreed upon.
or his employer must pay Government
license of $3.75 per annum Ii he has a.
bright intelligent son with q taste for the
law, before he can become an indentured
clerk to a solicitor he must first pay the
Grown sum of $400, and after completing
his studies he must take out further license
at a cost of $3.50 before he can present case
in court or at the bar, If he wishes to be-
come notary public, he must be at a fur
ther cost of $50. If, however, the young
mans tastes run toward medicine, a license
fee of $50 Is required before he can practice.
There are, perhaps, more whose tastes run
in the direction of matrimony a special
license for the same costs S25
'sIf the English workman has little saw
ings in the bank, he must pay the govern
ment two cents for every check he draws.
He must pay the same for every receipt he
signs of amounts of $40. All notes or due
bills must also bear government stamp of
from twenty-five cents to several dollars, ac-
cording to the amount. If he keeps dog
he must have an annual government license
of IS for each canine. If he keeps gun, he
must show $3.50 license. and to shoot
winged game he must pay SIS If he be
tradesman who keeps horse or pony and
wishes to keep carriage for the pleasure Of
his family, he must pay the government
81 so per wheel per annum. Thus we find
many more two-wheel than four-wheel car
riages throughout all England These, and
many more of a like kind, are incidental ex-
penses not often taken into consideration
when comparing the costs of living, and
might fairly be classed under the head of
rent, as every householder feels them to a
greater or less extent, and they become part
Of the annual cost of living. although not
coming under the head OF clothing or food. "
CONSUL WARMERS REPORT.
Consul Warmers report is very complete
and comprehensive. II tells how earthen-
ware is made in England, goes into detail as
to the amount of capital required to start a
pottery, and discusses the labor question at
some length, the conclusion reached upon
this point being given in the beginning of
this article Mr.. Warner uses as the basis
of American prices the figures given in the
communication of the Jiggermen Potters'
National Union printed in the True Anaeri-
can on the 25th Of last January.
MORE DETAILS REGARDING RENT.
Mr., Warner presents tables of the aver
age weekly earnings OF the StaHordshire
potters, and then discusses the cost of living.
Regarding rent, he says:
'sAs men must have shelter, I shall first
consider rent. know nothing of the rent
paid in any of the pottery towns in the
United States, and. therefore, shall make
no comparison. | shall simply give the
rents paid in Staffordshire and those in the
United States interested in the question can
supply the figures for that side. Rent here,
as everywhere, depends on location, size,
convenience, etc. Again, the sum paid de-
pends on the taste of the lessee. One who
cares to save no part of his earnings win oc-
cupy much more expensive house than one
who looks out for "a rainy day" Near all
pottery works good five-room houses, with
cellar and small back yard, can be rented
for IS cent to 81 per week. By going to the
outskirts or to one of the villages bordering
on the towns houses equally good, usually