The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-01-14
THE GLASS INTERESTS WE'RE
THE PRINCIPAL SUBJECTS
UP YESTERDAY.
MANY WORK|NGMEN WERE HEARD
All Told of Decreased Wages Under the
Wilson Law-Pottery and Other III
tercsts Also Attended to-Wash-
- ington News,

played the principal parts in The tariff
hearing today by the ways and means
committee. Delegations of operatives
from the organization of glass blowers
flint and lime glass workers, the bottle
and window glass blowers of Illinois and
Pennsylvania and the potters of Tren,
I ton, n. j., and East Liverpool, Ohio,
NsSpoke.
PHI told the same story of decreased
Yes, mills running on short time and
neral distress under the operation of
Slehe Wilson law. +. L. Bodin of Phila-
Il delphia spoke for the manufacturers of
cylinder window glass, and Congressman
Taylor of Ohio for the potters, gave in
teresting illustrations of ruinous compe-
tition from Japan. f. Il. Partridge of
Rutland, VT, presented a schedule
agreed upon by all the marble interests,
and minor interests were also repre-
scented. - III
Edgar Edward of Streator presented a
statement of the ruin to the glass bot
tie business brought about by the Wilson
act Under the Mckinley act the bust
ness had been increased three-fold, while
through improved methods of manufac-
ture the prices and fallen 20 per cent.
Under the Wilson law prices of bottles
had decreased II to 40 per cent, and the
loss had fallen mainly on the workmen,
whose wages had decreased 10 to % per
cent and hours of labor were increased
almost beyond human endurance. The
chief item of cost in the production of
bottles was labor. With free bottles the
foreign makers could undersell Ameri-
cans, even if the latter had to pay no
: wages. He recommended that the bot
ties in which wines, liquors and mineral
waters were imported should pay the
same duty levied on empty bottles, as
]. well as the duties on the contents.
LAIhe manufacturers had demanded ~
4 X cent reduction in wages, but through
Reorganization the blowers had been able
N, resist the demand. Wages in the best
Pimes averaged $4 a day, and the NOR
}tality among the blowers was great, the
average age of deaths being 81 years.
The maximum wages of blowers was SlO
a day, but they could not secure work
throughout the year. The minimum
earnings were about SS week.
In response to questions by Mr.. Iur-
ner the speaker said the. questions of
wages, hours and apprentices were ar
ranged by arbitration. The number OF
apprentices were limited to one-thlrd the
number of journeymen.
The chief officer of the organization OF
flint and lime glass workers, William j:
Smith of Pittsburg, asked for tariff
which would secure the manufacture OF
the American used goods by American
workingmen.
M. +. Dorfinger presented Il petition
from the cut glass manufacturers asso.
citation. They asked specific instead OF
nd yalorem duties. for a rate of 10 cents
per pound instead of so per cent ad
yalorem. The factories in the United
States, he said, employ 10000 men and
have an annual production of $2OOO,OOO;
The wages in the United States is VS.
per week, Germany, So; Belgium, 80. At
5ention was called to the evil of agents
in the United States foiN foreign houses,
through whom systematic under Valua-
ton was practiced.
manufacturers of cylinder window glass
and green flint bottle glass. He reported
that half the manufacturers IN tne
United States today were bankrupt, al
though they would not admit 1t, as re-
suit of the Wilson law. Without pro
lection they could not continue to do busl-
ness at American rates of wages.
Samuel L. Burns of Pittsburg, for
mer president of the Window Glass
Workers association, presented the case
of the workingmen The average of
wages under the Mckinley law had been
$40. 10: under the Wilson law, S5I.
TAT imports had increased 90 per cent:
yll,ny mills were closed and hundreds or
fmpn were idle. The re-adOption OF the
Mckinley rates, with new rates apply
ing to larger sizes of glass, were recon-
mended.
Congressman Taylor of Ohio, who rep
resents McKinley's old district, spoke as
an expert on potteries. saying the gov
eminent had raised S3,OQO,OOO more III
revenue from the small importatlohs
while the Mckinley law. was in force
than from large importations under the
Wilson law.
Arthur c. Wiggin. secretary and
-trea surer of The New England Crockery
association, replying to Mr.. McMillin.s
questions. said that he knew OF TINS
agreement among the potters by the tact
that all agents made thG same prices
and discounts
fare not the discounts larger to large
dealers than to small onesE' asked Mr..
McMllin. -
Eyes"
Are not large discounts given on
large quantities by all dePlers:" asked
Mr.. Payne.
Yes"
Frank c. Partridge of Vermont pre-,
scented a statement, agreed upon by all
branches of the marble business. the i'm
porters and producers. Protection. ne
said, was chiefly desirableI to shield the
American laborer from It9lian competi-
ton.
. d. NJ. Stuart of Chat anooga asked
for a duty per gross on lava gas jet tops.
The committee then adj urned.
CONTEMPT OF COURT BILL.
Washington, Jan. S.-The bill limiting
the power of judges TO punish for con
tempt of court. which Representative
Ray of New York framed aS substitute
.or a bill passed by the selbate last SEES
IN. was acted on favor4bly by the