The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-04-27
MANUFACTURER EXPLAINS.
Mr.. Editor


present controversy between the
glass cutters and their employees.
While it is generally conceded
by right thinking employers that it
is wrong to use discrimination in
hiring or discharging employees, the
fact remains nevertheless that an
employer must fortify and protect
himself, also prepare for any
trouble of any nature that in his
Judgment exists or is about to take
place which would seriously cripple
an industry which he has, perhaps,
all his money invested in and which
would naturally, if allowed to ma
ture, be the means of throwing his
best and satisfied employees out of
| employment. When such evidence
exists we deem it proper and right
| to weed out the trouble-makers
which we have always found to be
| the ones that are the least use to
| the manufacturer, the ones that do
not care whether they work or not
and are only too glad to use every
effort to induce good men to join
them in breeding discomfort.
Being a manufacturer is not the
most pleasant occupation that some
/ people that haven't had the expert
ence might imagine; on the con-
/ trary it is the most worrying busi-
ness and l think the most imposed
upon in good many different
ways. He has great many things
to contend with and to worry about
which keeps his brain in a whirl
night and day: in fact. he is never
free from care.
There is very great competition
in the cut glass business to-day and
manufacturer has some sharp fig
uring to do to get in and out of
this competition with a small profit.
The cut glass business is not by any
means what it was ten or twelve
years ago, the market price being
about so per cent. less and wages
about 40 per cent. more. OF course
there has been a decrease of pro-
/ duction due to modern methods in
| polishing but nothing compared to
! the decrease in selling price of the
! finished article.
Another thing that should be con-
sidered is that during the year there
are about three months of dull sea-
son in which an enormous stock is
piled upon the shelves. This is
done more to keep the employees at
work during this season. This ac-
cumulated stock is a risk, a gamble,
whether the larger part of it will
not be laying idle on these shelves
for perhaps two years or more and
then perhaps a large portion will be
sacrificed on account of patterns be-
ing discarded in the meantime. All
this time it means to the manufac.
turer an additional insurance and
money tied up that otherwise might
be turned over perhaps fifty times
While the employee is always
sure of his salary at the end of the
week or two weeks, as the case
+ might be, the manufacturer is re
ceiving notice nearly every day o.
some one of his customers going in
to bankruptcy which will probably
realize to him l per cent. to 33 pei
cent. on the dollar which would
just about cover the expense of sell
ing the bill of goods provided h'
received the larger amount.
don't think there is anybody in oul
city that deplores this existing
trouble any more than the manu-
facturers. 1t has been said that they
are responsible for bringing on thi!
trouble. If this is so, then it wai
through protecting their interest!
doubt would be repeated if occasion
required.
The real foundation of this trouble
dates back to last year when the
organizer appeared in our quiet anC
= peaceful town and sowed the seeC
of discomfort among our satisfied
employees and from this seed ha!
sprung the present trouble.
Before this gentleman appeared
among us everything was goin&
along very smoothly and everybody
seemed satisfied. From this seeC
/ think we shall reap a harvest thai
will not prove a blessing TO oul
town, as already we can see the
effects of it, as one factory has al
ready moved away and more are
likely to follow. 1t is not so easy
to get factories to replace the one!
lost as the editor of the Independ
ent might think, as once a tow
gets a reputation for this kind Of
trouble there are few manufactur
ers that care to invest or settle
where others are being driven away
OF course the record this town has
had in the past in encouraging anC
helping manufacturers to locate
here and doing all possible to keel
what they have might overcome this
one objection.
Honesdale's manufactured goods
especially it's cut glass, has enjoyed
the greatest prestige the whole
country over, so much so that the
factories here have been kept run,
/ NH hA l.