National Vial and Bottle Assoc. Meeting; Brookfield president

The National Vial and Bottle Association held their semi-annual meeting at Washington, D. C., on Thursday, January 19. Mr. William Eliot Smith, Alton, Ill., president of the association, in the chair. There were a large number of members present. The president submitted statistics of imports of recent years, showing constant increase, those of '87 being an increase in empty bottles of 75 per cent, over previous importations. The report showed the conditions of the trade are substantially the same as in the window glass business. The rate of duty, changed in 1883 from ad valorem to specific, did not give additional protection. The difference between American and foreign wages was about the amount covered by the duties. The workmen absorbed all the benefits of protection. The imports were continued in spite of the fact that there is abundant capacity in this country to meet the entire home demand. The meeting favored a proposition to begin the annual stoppage at the first of June, instead of July, to prevent overproduction. At the election of officers, Mr. William Eliott Smith of Alton, Ill., was elected president, Joseph Atkinson, Hawley, Pa.; vice president, John R. Wightman, Pittsburgh, secretary and Thomas Wightman, Pittsburgh, treasurer. The tariff committee consists of F.L. Bodine, Philadelphia; T.W. Synnott, New Jersey; J.T. Gorsuch, Zanesville, Ohio; M. W. Watson, Pittsburgh, and Wm. Grange, Philadelphia. The Eastern Association elected Wm. Brookfield president, and Thos. W. Synnott treasurer and secretary.