Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1900-11-01
GAINS FOR FARMERS.
A Single Instance in Supplying the
Glass Workers.
Prosperity of This One Industry
Brings Thousands OF Dollars
10 Farmers for Their
Produce.

Glass manufacturing has become
one of the leading industries of the
middle west and gives employment TO
thousands of workmen in Indiana. ILL
nois, Missouri and other states.
One of Americas patriotic citizens,
Thomas S. Obear, OF st. Louis, be
heves it to be the duty OF all citizens
who have the interest and welfare of
our country at heart to lend what aid
they can to reflect our president"
Mr.. Obear is president OF the obear-
hester Glass company and large en-
ployer of labor. He speaks to the
wage earners and to the farmers who
supply them with food and the mate
rails for clothing as follows:
"We wish to state that after the
passage of the Wilson tarin bill, un-
der the democratic administration, we
were compelled to reduce the wages
of our skilled workmen, reducing their
wages twice, making a reduction to
them of nine and Is per cent, accord
ing to the class of work they per-
formed. 1t was very hard for us to
keep our works in operation, and we
were only enabled to do so by such
reduction and by working very hard
to dispose of our product. On ma
terials that we purchased prices de-
clined to the lowest we had ever heard
of, declining in some instances 25 and
30 per cent.
"Since the Mckinley administration
we have been enabled TO increase our
product by doubling the capacity Of
our plant. We have advanced the wages
of our skilled workmen twice, paying
them now the highest wages ever paid
them, with exception Of on one class
Of work-paying them five per cent.
less than the highest wages paid them.
Our sales last season were so per cent.
greater than any previous year. The
price of materials that enter into the
manufacture Of our product, includ-
ing fuel, has advanced 10 to 40 per
cent. The price of our product, owing
to new methods Of manufacturing,
Notwithstanding the increased cost OF
production, has advanced only from
five to ten per cent. to the consumer.
Eve commenced business in 1891,
and, of course, each year would show
an enlarged business for the first few
years You will notice that since the
Mckinley administration got into good
working order and the Dingley tariff
bill was passed there has been large
increase each year in both skilled and
unskilled labor. During the year end
ed September 1, 1900, we paid out in
wages, not including Office salaries, q
total amount of $1eo,5o75o, against
ST. ,24907 for the year ended Septem-
Der /, 1895, which was a fair average
of our business under the democratic
administration"
Mr.. Obear's statement is typical of
the glass business all over the coun-
try. 1t is conditions like these which
have induced the president of the
Green Glass association, a workingman
and democrat, to declare openly for the
reelection of Mr.. Mckinley.
The purchasing power of the glass
workers is fully 60 per cent. greater
than in the democratic days of 1894 and
1895. The direct result is not only
that these workers are saving money,
but that they are buying more from
the agricultural classes than ever be-
fore in the history Of the country.