Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-02-26
NO LONGER DEMOCRATS X


NO LONGER DEMOCRATS -
4 Chicago view Of the Glass and Baiiding
Trades ~ Affecting Labor.
Mr.. George F. Kimball, the well known
iobber Of window and plate glass at
Chicago, has submitted for publication
the following discouraging views re-
garding the trade:
'sIt is difficult to speak Of the condi-
lions in the glass trade without seeming
to be a prophet of hard times. The tariff
agitation, pointing to revision that APP
parently means disaster to the manufac-
turing and jobbing branches of the glass
trade, has affected sales until it hurts ev-
cry one engaged in the business from
the laborer up and down. Speaking in
general terms, should say the volume
of business in glass has been decreased
fully 20 per cent as compared with last
year, and if it had not been for the
Worlds fair and the business which fol-
lowed as result-or its presence-Chl-
cago's glass trade would have been at
least 33 per cent less than it was year
ago.
Studying the situation as carefullysas
may be, there seems to be no important
factor in the trade disturbance outside
of the tariff revision proposed by the ad-
ministration. The glass trade has suf-
fered ever since Mr.. Cleveland came into
power from the knowledge that the tariff
schedule would be lowered and other
wise disturbed. The result has been a
decrease in purchases by jobbers. a con-
sequent reduction of manufacture, fol-
lowed by the discharge of large numbers
of workingmen and the shutting down
of many large plants. Today only two
plate glass factories are running, and less
than IS per cent of the window glass
factories are at work.
''The jobber who has any stock at all
is glad to dispose of it at cost, and the
man who has no stock is waiting to see
what congress is going to do before he
purchases.
Another factor in the business is the
absence of the men who intend to build.
| Ordinarily permits are taken out in the
fall for buildings so the foundation may
be laid and everything put in condition
for completion early in the spring. So
the fall permits indicate in measure
what is to be done in the way of build
ing during the ensuing year. The per-
mits issued this fall show that very little
construction is contemplated during the
winter and coming spring. Taking all
the indications, cannot see where the
glass manufacturers and jobbers are to
get any business in the immediate fu-
ture. and l do not look for anything like
resumption of favorable conditions be-
fore late in the summer of 1894 or early
in the fail.
"This is bound to affect labor in the
glass manufacturing and kindred trades.
If the duty on glass is reduced so per
cent, it must, in my opinion, come off
the laborers' wages. The material in a
pane of glass does not amount to any
thing as compared with the cost of la
Dor in that pane-for instance, pane of
glass selling for 500 in Chicago has raw
material in it worth perhaps So. Any
reduction in the selling price must come
from the cost of labor. Take our polish
ers in this country, and they are paid
$3.50. In Belgium women are employed
to do the same kind of work and are paid
20 cents a day for it. If the duty on
Belgium glass is taken off, the American
polisher can expect to see hs, wages cut
down just to the extent of the reduction
in the tariff. 1t is practically determined
already by the large manufacturers that
they will have to cut wages so per cent
if the tariff proposed by the Wilson bill
is put into effect.
Il am Democrat myself, and most of
my men voted for the Democratic candi-
date at the last election. but in the face
of the situation not one of them would
do it again if the opportunity offered