September /, 1907 



HOKTICULTURE, 



:^37 



A LABOR SAVING DEVICE. 



Here is an illustration of a device 

 that everybody will want. A bright 

 clean window is indispensable to the 



florist and this specialty of The Foley 

 Mfg. Co., of Chicago, insures it to any- 

 one using the device. The hose and 

 brush together are an invincible com- 



bination. As a labor-saving inven- 

 tion it is in the front rank and, best 

 of all, it is cheap. Watch for the ad- 

 vertisement which will shortly appear. 



THE FLORISTS AND THE GLASS 

 TRUST. 



At the session of the Society of American 

 Florists, in Philadelphl.t on Tuesday last, 

 the Glass Trust was scored and a demand 

 made for a revision of the protective tariff, 

 under the provisions of which this Trust 

 Is enaljled to charge high prices for its 

 products. 



The tariff discussion occurred at the close 

 of the session, when Benjamin Hammond 

 of Fishliil!, N. Y., reported for the legis- 

 lative committee. He told Low application 

 had been made to Washington praying for 

 relief from the high prices charged for 

 greenhouse glass, and urging tariff revision. 

 Mr. Hammond read a letter received by 

 the committee from Representative Sereno 

 E. Payne, which contained an argument in 

 favor of high tariff. Representative Payne 

 said that glass amounting to .'fi54,lS9,8jG 

 was imported in 1896, and that this Import- 

 ation had falleu to $17,933,000 in 1905, He 

 argued thjit American wage-earners were 

 receiving the millions that formerly went 

 to Europe. In conclusion, he reminded the 

 florists that they were prospering nc-w, 

 whereas under the old Wilson tariff their 

 business was wretched. 



But the members of the society declined 

 to be satisfied with Congressman Payne's 



specious plea, which the.v characterized as 

 "political bosh." They demanded to know 

 the difference between the cost of glass 

 manufactured in this country and that man- 

 ufactured in Europe. They insisted upon 

 knowing "to what extefit the Glass Trust 

 is milking the florist cow." They asked 

 why it was that they are now compelled to 

 pay $3.70 per box for 16x24 greenhouse 

 glass which some years ago they could Iniy 

 at $2.92. Only one member, a Philadel- 

 pliian, hy the way. was in favor of "letting 

 the tariff alotie," while one other, a nnin 

 frofn Pittsburg, the headquarters of the 

 Glass Trust, defended the combination and 

 justified the increase in prices. Further 

 remarks were made to the effect that Sec- 

 retary Taffs promise -of tariff revisioti af- 

 ter the next Presidential election is an 

 old story, and that meanwhile the glass 

 tnanufacturers are "laughing in their 

 sleeves 'at the manner in which they are 

 hiiodwinking Congress and the American 

 people." 



But they will not be able to hoodwink 

 Congress and the people indetinitel.v. Sin-h 

 incidents as this outln-eak among the na- 

 tional organization of the florists are sug- 

 gestive. They indicate an uprising of the 

 people against the exactions of the Trusts, 

 and this uprising ma.v become formidable 

 at the next election. It may result in send- 



ing to Washington a House of Representa- 

 tives which will compel even a Trust-rid- 

 (len Senate to consent to a reduction of 

 the tariff in the interest cf the great body 

 of cnnsumors, instead of the interest cf the 

 Trust-^.— Wilmington, Del., Every Evening. 



Nothing illustrates better the ramifica- 

 tions of the tariff than the issue raised by 

 the ticu-ists regarding the duty on glass. 

 This is imposed for the stimulation of the 

 .\nicricnn glass industry, but the stimula- 

 tiiiii (■onsi..;ts of a heavy tax upon other 

 .Vincrican industries, one of which is flor- 

 iculture. The greater part of the glass is 

 not used ifi making greenhouses; it is used' 

 ill dwelling houses, and every man who 

 builds a house is just as really inteufisted 

 in the glass duty as the florists are. though 

 he may not be so conscious of it because 

 lie buys a smaller amount. 



Eviilently the uonseu-e that the foreigner 

 pays the tax makes no impression on the 

 Horist-i-. they know they pay the tax, and 

 they know, also, that they pay the t.ax 

 whether they use imported glass or not. 

 The purpose of the duty is to enable the 

 domestic glass makers to get higher prices 

 fcir their product. 



The price of glass has advanced recently 

 20 per cent. The florists appealed to the 

 chairman of the Ways and Means Commit- 



