, 1900-09-13
HOW IT IS DONE
BRITISH VICE CONSUL TELLS OF
DISAPPEARING BRITISH
TRADE.
The High Tariff on China, Earthen-
ware and Glassware is Enabling
Up in Chicago-Great Benefit to
the American Workingmen.

Washington, Sept. 1.-THE advan-
tages of a protective tariff system ac-
cruing to the workingmen of this coun-
try are shown in a report of the Brit
ish vice consul at Chicago to his gov
eminent, in which he deals with the
china, earthenware and glass trade OF
Chicago. He points out that high tar
if on goods of this character enabled
the Americans to start factories for
the manufacture of these goods, and
more will soon be built. In his report
the vice consul says: For years the
British potter has been the supplier of
the American market and he still con-
tinues to lead, but with the general
increase in production in the United
States and the rapidly growing compe-
tition from Japan, this lead ear only
be maintained by a strict watch being
kept on the market and he nature of
the goods demanded, as well as the
prompt filing of orders. Chicago buy
ers go over once or twice a year to
Europe and buy for the local market
and a large district is supplied from
that city as a distributing center, and
it should be the aim of producers to
get in touch with them. Imports in
creased 1906 per cent in 1899, as com
pared with 1898, and the value 1.51S-
sos pounds from ~1,337,452 pounds.
There are no potteries in the consular
district of Chicago, the chief one be-
ing in New Jersey and East Liverpool,
Ohio, and the output last year was q
600. 900 pounds. The sale of American
crockery has increased immensely, and
is only checked by the works having
all they can do. Improvements in the
last few years in American pottery,
especially at Feast Liverpool, have
been great and there are now sixty
factories. but of these only ten are
turning out first class work, and none
can equal the best foreign products,
but it must be remembered that the
demand for a more expensive article
is limited"
A Good Product.
High tariff, 60 per cent" continues
American prouuct of a market, has
had the effect of increasing the num-
Der and size of American factories,
and with the rise in price of the Brit
ish article they will still further in
crease. The retail dealer in the west
ern states expects n high rate of profit
on many articles in which he deals
and while he advertiscs and sells sta.
pie articles, of which the wholesale
price is known to the general public,
at almost the cost price. he looks to
make profit on other articles to re-
coup himself. 1t Is stated that in
crockery his charge is sometimes near.
ly 100 per cent over the wholesale
price and in reading the retail price
given this must be taken into account.
American earthenware takes a place
near that of the English and is super.
ior to the coarse German e~arthenware,
and the product of most potteries is
heavier than the former and more dur,
able than the latter. The colors are
not so well put on as the British, but
as a whole the article is, as a rule.
coarser and yet u~nderglazed patterns
and foe blue have not been made sue.
cessfully, and with the process the
same, purchasers will not take the
American article. Every manufactur-