Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-10-30

one fact, taken in connection with free
natural gas and unrivaIled opportunities
for production and in view of the great
progress made in most other industries,
ought to be sufficient to condemn the
whole productions theory. No other indus
| try has enjoyed so much protection for so
| long a period and no other important man.
| ufacturing industry has made SO much
progress backwards. From 1880 to 1880
we imported each year about 80 per cent.
of our total consumption of window glass.
| Since 1890 the percentage of imported glass
| has been somewhat less. 1t is now about
| u percent-our consumption amounting to
about 100000 boxes.
| This trust, like many others, does not
possess complete monopoly. It is said
| to ''hold the umbrella" under which new
| factories outside the trust have been
| built and made great profits. 1t is really
| the tariff which holds the umbrella The
! trust" and the outsiders are both secure
| in their excessive profits under it for a con-
| siderable time until the number of outsid-
| ers get too large. All that time the con-
sumner will be forced to pay high prices
and competition will not lower them be-
cause the combined power of the manufac-
| turers' trust and the labor union is able
to restrict production to only part of the
year. Up to a certain point it is profitable
! for the trust to pursue this policy; and,
| when that point is reached the margin of
profit afforded by the tariff is so great
/ that the trust can make new terms with
| the outsiders, many of whom, according
| to the "Commoner and Glassworker,
| have been attracted to the business by the
prospect of such a sale of their plants to
4 the trust.
THE LABOR TRUST.
| The workers in the window glass indus
| try-that is, the skilled workers-are
| amongst the few who derive any special
| benefit from protection, but it is entirely
/ owing to their compact organization,
| through which they compel the manufac-
turers to divide the tariff spoils with the
workers. They understand clearly that they
| can obtain no benefit from tariffs without
| such an organization. They harbor no de-
| lusions on this point. Their official organ,
| the 'Commoner and Glassworker," of Oc-
tober 81, 1899, ridicules 1.-The bluff that UNI
organized labor used to get about the ben
eft to be derived by it from a high pro-
| tective tariff" They laugh at the foolish
| laborers who vote for protection and who
| expect the protected manufacturers to
voluntarily share their tariff profits with
| their employees. The tariff is a "hold-up
| game,' and only those who will play at
| hold-up can hope TO come out ahead of
the game. They know that the plate
glass workers who have no organization,
get less than one-fourth the wages paid
to highly organized window glass work
! ers, although the work in each industry
is about equally hard and hazardous.
T-f-.
Il. A. 800, K. of L."-has always work.
ed with the manufacturers against lower
and for higher duties. But it does not stop
here. In 1885 it secured the passage of
the alien contract labor law which its
| lawyers drew up. 1t may be mentioned
incidentally, that the union itself has been
a most fragrant violator of its own law.
In 1889 its officers were indicted for i'm
porting As Englishmen under contract, but
the case was dropped by the court through
the influence of M. S. Quay.
This union then laid tax of $500 per
head on imported workers who wished to
work in this country Since 1894 this tax
has been $500, which sum must now be
paid to IL. A 500 before aforeigner can
| enter any factory here.
The union has most stringent apprentice
number of window glass workers in the
country. AT present there are enough
workers to operate only about 300 out of
1900 or 2,7C0 pots now ready to operate
Thus the "Commoner and Glassworker'
of October q. says:
I'm consequence of there not being
| skilled workmen sufficient to fill all the
places, there is but little likelihood of any
more glasses being produced during the
blast of 1859"
The agreement which the union makes
with manufacturers provides that no one
shall be employed who is not a member
of IA. A. 800" and who has not his clear
ance card. There are no non-union fac
tories. Blowers are not allowed to make
more than 4S full boxes of single strength
glass per week, although many would be
glad to blow much more. The union
agrees with manufacturers as to what
wages will be paid each season and when
and what furnaces shall operate. They
| tried this year to get the manufacturers
to agree to fix a minimum price below
which glass should not be sold.
The window glass factories are supposed
| to remain idle from May so to September
To- But during the last three years the
| most of the factories by arrangement with
| the others remained closed until Novem-
| Der or December. This year the union
asked for per cent. advance in wages.
The manufacturers were willing to grant
this advance but did not wish TO open the
mills until the surplus Of 100000 boxes
had been greatly reduced. Hence they
| offered an advance of per cent. After
a delay of six weeks compromise" of
per cent. was arranged with an agree
| ment that fires were not to be put in
until the surplus was reduced to 100000
| boxes-which will be about December l.
| The union organ is congratulating the
members on having received a greater
| advance than was asked for and adds,
perhaps ironically, that "if such dispatch
is to characterize the trust the workers
are gamers along with the general trade.
The evil effect of this system upon the
workers is evident. Only few are per-
| mitted to learn the business and but a
small portion of these make slHllful op-
| orators Hence the Belgian blowers. who