, 1874-04-27

An astonishing thing haa occurred. The iron
manufacture Ia generally prostratod; more fur
naccs are idle than have been before for many
years. and yet neither tho manufacturers nor
the hired adyooatos OF protection olanor Tor
higher tariff. For once terrible distrcas and
proatration in this industry hayo occurred ut a
time when tho pricos In this, as compared with
otler countries, mako 1t utterly absurd to sup
poao that our disaster IA due to foreign compoti-
tion. 70 what then, is it duo7 Mainly to that
very tariff upon which protective philosophers
have go confidently rolled to prevent such indus
trial disorder. Tint this is but ths eimple truth
will appear II We examine close1y the nature and
origin Of the existing difficulty.
About half Of tho iron furnaces In tho country
produce moro pig metal (85. 900 tons yearly than
any other in the country, arc closed tho Ponn-
sy1vania Iron Company, OF Danvie, which en-
ployad 1000 men. Is doing nothing the Dun
cannon Works tho susquehanna Rolling -a1il1,
OF Columbia o. E. ponnocR's ro1ling-1nills, OF
the works Of Guiffert, H1cDlanus 4; Co., in tho
aamo city, and Rogers mills, Of Port Carbon,
arc all allent. 4 Reading dispatch says, on the
authority Of parties prominently identified
with the trade" that every furnace in Ponnsyl~
yania will be blown out by Juno; another state
ment, In Now York paper, asserts on good
authority that, after secret meetings in tho lead
lug citioa OF tho country, the National Pudllers'
Union hold general conference recently at
Reading, at which 100 forges were represented
by delegates from every IRON producing State in
tho Union, and that general suspension Of
work was resolved upon, aud is now imminent.
The immediate or apparent cause Ia roduc-
tion Of 20 per cent in wages since the panic.
Against this reduction the mon protest, saying
that they cannot live upon tho reduced wages
aud 1t was In anBwor to throata Of general
strike on this ground that tho Cambria Company
and othor large establishments. Yot tho
workmen are getting much higher wages
even now than thoy did in 1860,
when there WAS general prosperity and sattsfac-
tion. According to tables compiled by tho soo-
rotary of the Iron and Stool Association, and
printed in the Iron Age tho coat Of labor to tho
ton Of finished bar iron is now $1,000, and In
1860 waa only 41o.DU, nor WAS 1t higher in any
year before the var according to bis tables. than
| s15.12, tho average in 1854. What Ia tho dila-
culty7 Tlore can bo but one anawer: tho cost
OF living In iron-rnaking towns has increased at
least as much aa tho wages of tho workmen.
| But how Ia 1t with the manufacturer? Docs
not every furnace show, for answer, its immense
pilo Of thousands Of tonB OF iron. unBola, un-
6alable, md stacked up waiting for buyers ?
Notwithstanding aon,o saleB aro made "a to ea
per ton below what the Iron Ago statcs to bo the
aotual cost Of the pip metal at tho furnace, Btlll
great qunntitioa remain for which thero aro nc
offors wlatover. Tho Iron Age couuaela makore
to "blow in no furnaces now standing Idle until
thcre arc unmfhtakablo Indications Of ar
Improvement In the trade g1eat enough
to warrant an lnoroased production" Al
intelligent iron manufacturer, IN lottor tt
tho Same paper, saye that "The prosent.produo
tlon Of the country is far beyond its proBent 70.
quiremonts, and, unless somo Sensible move
tonding to limit Tue production, Ia made by tue
furnace.mep, tho manufacture Of ply iron vii
for The next throe years roault In q loss to th'
makor." That this Intelligent manufacturer
atates Me real Cause OF tho difficulty Is proYet