Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1907-10-15


The manufacture of window glass
is one Of the principal interests pro-
tected by the tariff, the rates varying
from l 30 cents pound on glass not
exceeding 10x15 inches and SO cents
a pound on glass above 4Ox6o inches
The tariff tax actually paid on import
ed glass for the fiscal year ending
June so. 1906-the last official report
ranged from 37.fT per cent on it's value
TO 100.31 per cent In spite of this
heavy tax there was 34,073, APO. COS
pounds of window glass imported OF
the value Of 81, 25o. 1913 on which du-
ties were paid of S5S3,0T6,50, or an av-
erage tax of 1880 per cent. One
would naturally think that it would
not pay the Belgium manufacturers to
/ export glass to the United State and
besides paving an average Of over 46
per cent in tariff duties. also pay the
freight, insurance and other charges,
besides allowing profit to the Inn
porter and wholesaler and other hands
it may pass through before coming in
competition with the homemade glass.
That such is the fact is chargeable to
the extraordinary conditions of man
ufacture of window glass in the Unit
ed States brought about by the so
called protective tariff.
Glassblowers know their masters
could charge enormous profits, because
of the tariff tax preventing competi-
ton in a great measure demand very
high wages, and as the great profits
even after paying these very high
wages induced others to enter the glass
manufacturing field, the result has
been a selling combine to hold up the
price of glass and labor combine to
hold up the high wages paid. Very
naturally too much glass was manu-
featured, and when stocks increased be
yond safe margin, 1.-The fires'' were
drawn and manufacture ceased. In
fact, In the most favorable years the
factories only run nine months, and
for the past six years the average time
of "thel fire" has rarely exceeded six
months. So the glass divers only get
an average amount of money for the
year of about so per cent of the wages
they are paid when at work, and the
manufacturers only make half the
amount of glass their plants are capa
BILE of making, and often have to hold
part of their stock of manufactured
glass for many months before it can
be disposed Of. Under these ''hot
house conditions produced by tariff
protection, there has been many fail
ures of glass manufacturing. In fact,
the Sire regions are strewn with idle
glass plants and many are for sale for
less than cost.
There is constant friction between
the glass manufacturers and the glass
blowers about wages, and at present
every window glass factory is idle OIL
account of the manufacturers refusing
to pay the wafAs demanded by the
workmen, and the workmen demanding
an average increase in wages of II
per cent. Such disputes are constant
ly occurring, and in consequence the
Belgium glass is imported to the ex-
tent above given. TIE Americans
whether buying glass for their own
houses, or for houses to rent to others,
have to pay nearly 80 per cent on the
average more than glass would be
worth without this tariff tax Not only
thf Drica on what glass is irnnortpd is
increased by this tariff tax, but also
the price of the home product, for the
manufacturer knows just how much ex-
ira profit the tariff allows him to add
to prevent more imported glass from
being sold here Tie tariff on glass
is but an example of the tax on other
necessities, nearly all of which are
likewise increased in price by the tar
tiff