Macbeth's Frank Statements

Mr. George A. Maobeth of Pittsburg is the largest individual manufacturer of glass in this country. He is a wide awake man who keeps "up to date" in] improveruents, and who, inspiteof "protection" on many of his raw materials, and the fact that he pays higher wages i thau are paid by either doinestic or ' eign competitors, can export largequantities of glassware to all párts of the world. He believes in being j ent of tariffs and is aching for the time vvhen he can compete with all corners without being handicapped by proteetion. Here is what he eaid to a representative of The National Glass Budget , after the passage of the Wilson bilí in the house: "The bill is all right in its way, but it ioe&n't weigh innch. In otber words, it is good enough as far as it goes, but it j ioesn't go far enough. I believe in free :rade simply and absolutely. Free trade .s inevitable. It is in the air. Noamonnt jf tariff dickering can alter ihe fact. I Will the senatu pass the bilí? Who can 'ell what it will dor" When the reporter ïnentioned the fact ■ ;hat Ihmsen's glass house was to shut ïowu, Mr. Macbeth leanel back in his j I ... - "Maybe," said he, "the firm is justified n so doing, but I would like to see their figures. I firmly believe that thewindow glass workera make too nmch money. They will have to come down. "Who has to pay them their high wages? It isn't Ihinsen's or any other window glass manufaoturers. It is the consuméis. And who are the consumera of window glass? It isn"t the rich men; they use píate glass; it is the poor men. workingmen who labor for $1 a day. And these poor meu contributo their mite so that the window glass worker can make $14 a day aud loaf f our nionths out of the year. "Why should the United States be asked to perpetúate this one particular body of men In this sinecure? Huw much are the carpenters making these times? I don't think they are making any more than $2.25 a day. But these same carpenters have to pay for the window glass. If you 'protect' one body of workmen, you wiil have to 'protect' another. When they are all 'protected,' where is the advantage? This business of 'fixing' tliings at Washington, thia foolingwith the tariff, is absurd. Free trade is inevitable - sooner or later it wiil come. The sooner the people of the United States adapt theni&elves to the inevitable the better it will be for all concerned." Germauy's trouble with nnemployed labor is even mure serioaa tliau that of tlris oountry and imicli greater than tliat of freo trade England. Yet (ierraany has au iinitation McKinley tariff. Avhich the government shows nodisposition to reduce. According to Republican logichere, labor in Germany ought to be jnst reveling in prosperity inatead of heing in a state of suffering and discrder.