New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-09-13
JERSEY PoTTERs REJOICE
THE DrNGLEY LAW RAISES A GREAT IN.
DUsTRY FROM DEPRESSION TO
ACTIVITY.
TARIFF-wORKMEN THROWN OUT OF woRR
NOW GETTING EMPLOYMENT.

Trenton, Sept. II (SpeciaD-Oncc upon TINA \
| could truthfuly be said that In New-Jerseys cant
I tai city the pottery centre Of the United STATE.
nottery operatives would listen and even app.rs
! the labor agitator when he exhorted them tak,n.
! for his text the parrot cry: THE tariffs a tau,
| II makes the bosses richer an the laboring ma,
! poorer
But that day has gone by for the potters. Tn.
| plain story simply honestly told, OF the car,
| dt!on OF the manufacturing and operative po,.,
when working under the Mckinley tariff whe,
working under the Wson-Gorman tariff OF "a
| day and their future prospects. under the Dngisv
tariff is proof beyond reasonable doubt that IN.
American protective tariff Is equally Tor the benea
! and protection OF manufacturer and of laborer.
| To begin at the beginning, II IL well TO state thai
| I'm this city Of seventy thousand people there era
| thirty-four potteries and decorating shops iares
| and small. and many machine works. flint works
cooper shops and smaller shops where potters ma
| terials potters' machinery, etc. are made. and au
| of which are wholly dependent upon the potterie,
which potteries are wholly dependent upon pra
tcctve tariff. as has been clearly dc hohsra;ed and
! Is generally admitted.
| Not one of the potteres kept the doors OF all d.
| partments in the works open 10 their worhmen 70,
! six days any single week since the enactment Of
| the Wilson German Tariff bill In 1888. until. with
| whistles screechng, men hurrahing and women
cheering, all doors of the manufacturing establish.
ments were thrown open. and the joyous news that
foil upon the ears OF the assembled operatives wa,
| The Dingley bill has passed; the Mckinley rata
| are restored!
| The announcement was received with renewed
| cheers Men and women actually wept for ;oy
at the announcement of the passage OF the bill
! This Is not an exaggeration. The Joy Of the oper
atiyes was simply indescribabe. II meant to them
as they understood 1t. return to the same con-
| di,ions Of life which they enjoyed prior to The
| passage OF the Wilson bill.
| And they are already receiving many benefit
| from the Dingley law. chief among which Is an
opportunity to earn enough TO exist upon from
| week 10 week.
| on Christmas Day. 1897. every operator in even
| notterv I'm Trenton Wheeling, W. Va, Tiffn. Ohm
| Iiverpool Baltimore and elsewhere In the United
| States Will have his wages advanced lZi2 cents 90
the dollar Before the year 1898 shall have passed
! into history the wages Will again be voluntarily
! advanced probably another 1879 per cent making
| cents on the dollar added TO the pay OF the po.
| ter directly credited 10 the Dingley Tariff bill
Since the enactment Of the Wilson Tariff blu
the following potteres were forced into Insolvency
| by reason of being deprived OF protection, and
! ere now IN hands other than those owning then
| prior 10 that act: Dale & Davis Pottery Company
failed for SIS 90; Fell & Thropp Pottery COMPANY
! failed for SO 0OO: Hart Brewer Pottery Company
| failed for $4,000; Anchor Pottery Company. f.Ea
FOR $40 $500, and Mayer Pottery Company. failed
| for $4,000
| The potteries OF Trenton. when running upca
! anything resembling their capacity. together viii
| the works dependent upon them, employed about
| four thousand five hundred men. women and boys
| The aggregate weekly payroll IL Conservatory -
/ TINA ted at about $1,000.
| In no one week since the enactment OF the Wlsoa
| tariff has the aggregate payroll exceeded siam
! and for nearly four years the payrolls have n4
| aggregated $500 a week. For four years then
have been not at work in the potteries in any on
| week more than a thousand OF the $50.
| During the last three years potters who formerly
| earned from so TO $40 week at the bench have
been obliged 70 accept places on the police 1orA
as streetcar drivers. as deck hands on the canal
| beats and many OF them have actually sought and
full score have obtained Jobs in the Street
c. mmissloner's Department cleaning -hs public
streets at 81 % a day, and were glad 10 get ne
places.
During the last two years only about 80 per cent
OF the potters have been able 10 keep out
dot: many have lost their homes and scores han
been obliged TO accept public charity at the soup
forse established by public subscription. Dozen
OF small shopkeepers in the pottery districts hau
been forced into bankruptcy because IN y could
longer the operative potters. and the rstm
business In some quarters has been parayzed
Fully one hundred families have gone from Tres
ton TO England in which country the potteris
have nourished under the Wilson tariff rates. and
there made the ware that supplied the America
market. while the shops here were closed and 10
grass growing over the heretofore busy drive
ways.
During the last three years the operatives nave
voluntarily agreed 10 n reduction o. about @l'
per cent In their wages In the hope OF keeping Inc
shops running and holding the home market againG
the foreigner but the manufacturers could no, thea
compete and the doors were closed. Not manu- .
featuring potter I'm Trenton has earned per cent
and two OF the twenty-three bigger manu- .
featuring establishments have earned > per cen!
upon the cost OF their plant. About fifteen Of
the twenty-three larger concerns have lost money .
weekly. but held out in anticipation OF wha, nS
now have-the re-enactment OF the Mckinley tarA .
The decorating shops OF Trenton that have oesa
operated at all have purchased the ware they oecS .
rated In England. France and Germany II re .
quenty happened that the decorating shop ""
located next door 10 big pottery whose war;
house grooming under the load OF the sans
kind OF stock the decorator had shipped IRON
England. France and Germany the foreign war;
having been brought 20 the very doors OF tn'
pottery here at a cost 10 the decorator OF 10 per .
cent less than the actual cost OF manufacture .
this city
This is but the plain story OF the wreckas' |
wrought by the Wilson TarlfY law. and II Is tas
condition in which one important American w
dus,ry found by the Dingey law.
Since the passage Of the Dingley act the Trenton
Potteres Company have started up one or ""
shops. They have increased their force all ao"
the line. Probably 20 per cent more men are e~
gagged In the sanitary ware shops than before wv
Dngley act.
At the International Pottery William Burgess
asked what the outlook for the business wa
IN view OF the new tariff. Mr. Burgess has sp.ns
much OF his time and labor 10 bring about ~ ~
result about TO be realized, and he approachea Wv
subject with evident satisfaction. .s,,
I'VE have the figures wanted" said ne, ~
should have liked to have compound du..,
We have the old Mckinley rates OF IS and ~ "a.
cent. With this duty levied by the compound pdI
of hath ,..l "A all .har -
have felt that were more certain or having ns
duties enforced; but We feel that We are gS Sss
to derive more benefit from the tariff now .1I
when these rates prevailed before on account ~
having friends in the Treasury Department III W
Customs Department and all along the line ~
THE manufacturers are getting inquiries AZ
future delivery" continued Mr. Burgess. as ne 4.
hbited for $4,000 worth of ware. TO De ~
vered In the future at present prices. TINS On =,
was sent In by one OF our men TO be signed hssl
agreed to IL but we shall not sign Il. we sn'.