The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-11-02
a GLASSYORKER

Observation-Disclosures in Better Con-
dition Than Ever Before.
TO the Editor Of the Intelligencer.
s1R:-Another wise head hobs up who
thinks he has solved the trust ques-
ton" or the combination Of capital"
This parsonage is Mr.. Byron W. Holt.
In his article that appears In some Of
our leading newspapers, the idea is set
forward very emphatically that the
monster Is bred and sustained by our
tariffs, losing sight Of the avaricious-
ness Of man, whose only desire is to
lay his clutches on the almighty dollar.
II we were to remove our tariff would
this desire be allayed? No! Would
this remove the selling limit? No! Mr..
Holt infers that the cost of import
goods is the selling limit. Speaking Of
the glass industry he says: I'm no
other Industry. perhaps, are prices adj
justed to the cost Of imported goods
with such precision" placing this as the
cause Of high prices, an assertion which
we will deal with later on. He applies
his az to tariffs as the tree whose fruits
are trusts or combination Of capital.
and that there are smaller trusts with
in these trusts.
It is not necessary for me to go into
detail Of the effect of free trade. There
is not a faIr-thlnking man to-day that
will present free trade to our people.
The party that once fostered such
legislation win not make such an issue.
wish to speak of the glass industry.
as this seems to attract Mr.. Hollis at I.
tention. In opening his remarks he
states: while other various glass In
dustries are not now as conspicuous
tarlfE-trusts industries. they illustrate
even better than does the tin plate in
dustry, the pernicIous effect OF the pro-
tective tariff and the outrnges of the
combination or trust" Mr.. Holt would
like to dodge the tin plate problem.
That industry has been added to this
Gountry's list of industries. How was
1t added? Just lay this at the door Of
tariff. II Mr.. Holt will step inside these
tin mills he viii notice vast number
Of men employed that would otherwise
be employed in other countries. Re-
turning to the glass trusts. do not be-
lleve in trusts of any kind when the
motive is seltishness, as 1t is to-day,
II they were governed by the Golden
Rule. then they would be the grandest
institutions ever organized for man,
both rich and poo7. When we put Christ
in our every day life and ask ourselves
what would Jesus do?' then 1t is that
we have solved the question, or closed
the gap between capital and labor. AS
/ am a window glass worker, alEo a
reader Of the commoner and Glass
worker, wish to comment on the ar
tlcle, or the authority OF Mr.. Holt. The
article is the result Of the twenty-fitth
annual meeting of the National Whols-
sale Druggists Association. At this
meeting they passed the following reso-
luton:
Resolved, That the coming commit
tee on paints, oils and glass be author
ICED In behalf of this association mot
the consumer) or in conjunction with a
committee appointed by the National
Paint. OIL & varnish Association, to
confer with the corporations controlling
these articles. with view Of securing
an equitable and Just compensation to
the distributors Of these leading sta
pies.
The import Of this is simply third
man stepping in for his shara of profits.
These are the gentlemen that received
the benefits of our famous 224s per cent
reduction in 1896. These druggists find
at this meeting that in 1893 they paid 50
DER cent less than they pay now. l
wish the reader to keep this in mind.
Notice, they appoint a committee to
confer with the corporation that con-
trolls this commodity. that they might
receive Just compensation for dIstribu-
ting their ware. Mr.. Holt would like
the public to think that they pay this
advance. Not so! The consumer Of
window glass has not received the BEN
oft Of the rise and fall OF market
prices. l know they did not get the
benefit Of our 221A per cent reduction 1t
is these gentlemen that ask for Just
compensation. They are crying be-
cause the COW has failed In her milk.
Let US reason little. In 1898 the skill
ed workers received more money than
they did last year; the unskilled lab
orer as much. Now we have modern
improvements, and one man can do
three mems work in some departments.
This has cheapened production some,
also free fuel. In 1895, no doubt, these
jobbers got glass cheaper. Did the con-
sumer? No! Our reduction simply en-
riched the Golfers of the jobbers Here
is the whole thing In a nut shell.
The window glass trust has almost
driven the jobber out OF the business
because Of its selfish aim, and tapping
up all of the jobber's profits, who held
the price of glass up to the highest ex-
treme limit. 30 much so that there is
too much foreign glass imported.
know for a fact the consumers paid as
much for glass In 1896 as they do now.
We will allow little advance, Con-
sumer, how much is It? Answer It
yourselves. Is 1t double? The IS per
cent increase in skilled labor spoken Of
by Mr.. Holt is simply the wages we re-
celved in 1893. The unwrought material
that enters In the manufacture of win