Mr. GRIGGS. You could not tell whether he was sick from sceing the bottles empty or seeing them imported? Mr. AGARD. From my knowledge of the gentleman, I do not think a full bottle would sicken him. Mr. GRIGGS. Could you stand a doubling of this duty? Mr. AGARD. We do not ask to have the duty raised at all. Mr. GRIGGS. Would you like to have it raised? Mr. AGARD. No, sir; we do not want it raised. Mr. GRIGGS. Would that injure your business, if we did raise it? Mr. AGARD. I think so. I will tell you why I think so. The glass manufacturers, you will find, are in a different position from other manufacturers. If you raise the duty on this, the blowers would get it at the next wage conference. The manufacturers would be compelled to raise their wages. That would raise the price to the consumer, and he would come in here at the next session of Congress and want a reduction. The CHAIRMAN. You need have no fear of the duty being raised, I believe. Mr. COCKRAN. I thought you said it would not affect the consumer at all? Mr. AGARD. I did not say anything about raising the duty. Mr. COCKRAN. You mean this golden rule does not affect the consumer? Mr. AGARD. I mean the price, perhaps, would not be raised to the consumer. If you paid $2 a bottle for wine, or $4 a bottle, and the bottles only cost $4 a gross, they would not take less than a cent off of the price of the bottles to the actual consumer, but the bottler would be heard to complain, and I do not think he is here to-day. VARIOUS AMERICAN MANUFACTURERS ASK THAT THERE BE NO REDUCTION OF THE DUTIES ON GLASS BOTTLES. Hon. SERENO E. PAYNE, WASHINGTON, D. C., November 23, 1908. Chairman Ways and Means Committee. DEAR SIR: The undersigned respectfully request that there be no change in the tariff on blown glass bottles, as shown in Schedule B, sections 99 and 100, of the tariff law of 1897. There are in the United States 120 firms and companies operating 287 furnaces, employing 12,000 skilled and 25,000 unskilled workmen, making a total of about 37,000 employees. The annual yearly output amounts to close to $45,000,000. These factories are located in the following States: New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, Kansas, Texas, California, and Colorado. The reason that we ask that no change be made is that the protection afforded us by the present tariff is only sufficient to enable us to pay the present rate of wages to our employees and to sell our goods in competition with European manufacturers. (The time being too short to furnish a detailed statement of wages in foreign countries, said statement will be furnished to your committee before December 4.) If any reduction is made, it will be necessary to ask our workmen to accept a corresponding reduction in wages. A. L. PFAU, TERRE HAUTE, IND., THINKS THE WAGES OF GLASS BLOWERS SHOULD BE REDUCED. TERRE HAUTE, IND., November 23, 1908. Hon. SERENO E. PAYNE, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: Information has just reached me that your committee will hold its hearing on tariff revision as relating to glassware to-day, and of course I am too late to be present in person. I am aware, of course, of the natural tendency of each manufacturer to prefer a revision (or reduction) on the "other fellow's articles," but I believe the time is at hand when the subject must be fairly considered by all. In our line (the manufacture of beer, soda water, and carbonated beverage bottles) the present tariff was put into effect on account of the disparity in wages between the German glass blower and the American. But since the establishment of the Dingley tariff the process of manufacture in our line has been greatly improved, so that the American glass blower makes a much greater quantity of bottles than he did fifteen years ago, and, consequently, a much greater wage earning, and I am of the opinion that he is greatly overpaid to-day, especially in comparison with skilled laborers in other trades. In the last three years another feature has arisen in our line of trade which threatens annihilation to the American glass blower unless he can be made to see the immediate necessity of taking a reduction in his wage-the automatic blowing of bottles by machines is forging rapidly to the front. This machine being patented, etc., is now in the hands of one large capitalized concern which is rapidly monopolizing the situation. The great margin of profit from machine-made ware lies, of course, in the fact that the blowing wages are dispensed with, and the machines are operated on a royalty of a low percentage of the blowing rate to the patentee. The American glass blower, being naturally slow to accept a reduction in his wages until the situation becomes acute, is permitting the machine-made product to gradually supplant the handmade article. It is therefore necessary in the immediate future for the glass blower to accept a reduction in wages as his only salvation in the trade, and a reduction in the tariff will bring about the desired end with greater efficacy and more lasting and beneficial results for the glass blower. While considerable skill is required in the trade of glass blowing, the daily rate of wages ($7 to $10 per day) is entirely out of reason when compared to other trades, like carpentering and masonry, etc., and the writer is of the opinion that eventually the blower will be compelled to accept more proportionate wages (say $5 per day) if he would preserve his identity in the business. We appreciate the fact that the owners and operators of the automatic blowing machines are greatly in favor of the present tariff rates, for reasons readily understood. They are also in favor of mantaining the present rate or schedule of blowing because in this lies their greatest profit. At the same time the great superiority of the machine-made ware is rapidly capturing the trade and gradually but surely making inroads on the blowers' usefulness. The writer is a Republican and believes the victory recorded at the polls recently was due to a promise made the people that the tariff would be revised. He also appreciates that a revision in the tariff may temporarily retard or impede our trade in our home markets; but it will compel a realization to the blower that his present earnings are on a false basis and will bring about a proper and lasting readjustment of the same (thus requiring far less capital in our business)—a thing which is impossible to accomplish without the help of a revised tariff, since the blowers' schedule or annual settlement of wages is dominated in a large degree by representatives of the machine-made bottle. The writer is broad enough and ready to take "his medicine" on his own product, and believes that the ultimate result will redound to the benefit of the American glass blower if he can be made to see his error without further delay and before the "machine" has eliminated him from the field. Respectfully asking your consideration and assuring you I would be glad to confer further with you, I am, Yours, truly, A. L. PEAU, President The North Baltimore Bottle Glass Company. HON. J. G. CANNON, M. C., SUBMITS LETTER OF THE HEADLEY GLASS COMPANY, DANVILLE, ILL., URGING RETENTION OF PRESENT DUTIES ON GLASS BOTTLES. Hon. J. G. CANNON, DANVILLE, ILL., December 18, 1908. Speaker of the House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: We do not want a reduction in tariff on bottles. As the schedule is at the present time there are large quantities of bottles. imported which we could make here. The per cent of labor cost in manufacturing bottles is so great that any reduction in the tariff would unquestionably reduce the wages of labor employed in manufacturing bottles. There could be no other item in the cost of manufacturing bottles that could be reduced to meet foreign competition. Our blowers make from $6 to $10 per day, and we are advised by one of our men that visited Germany last summer that bottle blowers in that country make from 60 cents to $1 per day. This is a practical illustration of the difference in wages of the two countries. We are, respectfully, yours, THE HEADLEY GLASS Co. CUT GLASS. [Paragraph 100.] STATEMENT OF FREDERICK CARDER, OF CORNING, N. Y., REPRESENTING T. C. HAWKES & CO., MANUFACTURERS OF CUT AND ENGRAVED GLASS. TUESDAY, November 24, 1908. The CHAIRMAN. You may proceed, Mr. Carder. Mr. DALZELL. Under what paragraph is this? Mr. CARDER. Paragraph 100, I think. This is cut and engraved glass of the finest quality. I represent Messrs. T. C. Hawkes & Co., one of the largest manufacturers of fine cut and engraved glass in this country, and its allied concern, the Steuben Glass Works, both of Corning, N. Y. They are independent concerns and do not belong to the American Association of Glass Manufacturers. The very existence of the cut and engraved glass industry in America depends upon a high tariff. It is essential for its further progress that the present tariff be maintained, and, if possible, increased. The necessity for a high and protective tariff is due to the great difference in the cost of labor and materials, labor alone being from two to three times higher in this country than in Great Britain, where they pay the next highest wages. In America the skilled glass makers make from $35 to $14 per week, while in Great Britain they make from $10 to $16 per week. Skilled glass cutters in America make from $14 to $19 per week, as against $5 to $7.50 per week in Great Britain. Skilled glass engravers earn in America from $18 to $27 per week, as against in England from $5 to $10 per week. Ordinary laborers in America get $9 per week, which is more than some skilled artisans get in Great Britain. Even at the present tariff, the foreigner is able to bring engraved glass of the finest quality into this country at prices which the manufacturers here can not possibly meet. For instance, I have here an engraved goblet made in England. It is landed in this country at $17.28 per dozen The CHAIRMAN. I believe we could see that better if you would open the package. Mr. CARDER. Yes, sir; if you will allow me to do so. I will pass this to the committee for examination. This, as I say, can be landed in this country at $17.28 per dozen, and would cost about 40 shillings per dozen at the factory in England. In America the actual cost alone on wages and glass amount to $28.71, leaving out entirely other incidental charges and profit. It is fair to say that for every dozen of fine engraved glass produced in America there are twenty dozen imported. If the present tariff is reduced, the English, French, Austrian, and German would be able to swamp us, and it would mean the closing up of a number of factories. Coming to the question of blanks for cutting and engraving, the Steuben Glass Works, which is a concern allied with this firm of which I speak, find that they are forced to send orders abroad simply because their own concern, of which I am secretary and manager, can not make them at the existing prices. They have an order at the present time placed with a European factory to the amount of $5,000, which can be landed in Corning at from 14 to 19 cents a pound, prices we could not possibly meet. Our contention therefore is, Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, that there should be no change made in the tariff. The CHAIRMAN. Cut glass is a luxury? Mr. CARDER. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. And a very good revenue producer-about a million and a half under this schedule? Mr. CARDER. Yes, sir. THE HUNT GLASS CO., CORNING, N. Y., THINKS DUTIES SHOULD NOT BE REDUCED ON CUT AND ENGRAVED GLASS. Hon. SERENO E. PAYNE, CORNING, N. Y., November 21, 1908. Chairman Ways and Means Committee, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: We understand there is some talk of reducing the tariff on cut and engraved glassware. We beg to state that we firmly believe that any reduction would be very detrimental to the trade in this country, and would respectfully ask you to do all in your power to prevent it. Very respectfully, yours, THE HUNT GLASS COMPANY, 0. F. EGGINTON CO., CORNING, N. Y., STATES THAT CUT-GLASS INDUSTRY ALREADY HAS KEEN FOREIGN COMPETITION. Hon. SERENO E. PAYNE, CORNING, N. Y., November 20, 1908. Chairman Ways and Means Committee, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: Our competition with foreign cut and engraved glass is very keen at the present time on account of the cheaper labor abroad, as more than 50 per cent of the value of the finished ware represents labor. For this reason we feel certain that any measure to reduce the tariff on these products would be very harmful to the industry in this country. We would therefore ask you to carefully consider any effort to reduce the present tariff before giving your consent to the measure. We make this request, not only in our own interest, but in behalf of the workmen employed in the production of domestic cut and engraved glass. Very respectfully, yours, THE O. F. EGGINTON COMPANY. |