The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-02-24
GENERAL POWELL.
What the DashInE Cavalry onlser Of the
War has TO say About the Present Con.
dlti0n OF the Nail Trade,

dltt0n OF the Nail Trade.
BELLvILLE, ILL.,, February 81.
Editors TuLelllseneer,
Judging from the tone Of the Wheeling
papers upon the result Of the effort made
by the nail manufacturers west Of the Al
iegheny mountains in their associate
capacity last December, to effect new
organization looking to the improvement
OF the nail business by regulating the pro.
duction and controlling the sales Of the
product, through Board OF Control, and
the establishment Of few main distribut.
Ing points, It would seem that the plan
suggested to the convention held in Pitts
burgh, December 4th, 1873, aud unani-
mously adopted in detail by a full con.
vention held in Pittsburgh December 18th,
1878, failed Of success, because regarded as
impractical. The facts in the case do not
warrant such conclusion. The incontro-
vertible facts are that out Of
the 1884 nail machines west Of
the Allegheny mountains, distributed
in various localities throughout the west,
1881 nail machines voted for the adoption
OF the plan December IL, embraced in the
report oil the committee appointed by the
Convention to prepare the plan in detail
December 4, and were In favor OF signing
the agreement authorizing the putting OF
the same into immediate effect. The mills
at Pittsburgh, Mahoning and Shenango
Valleys, four out OF tho seven mills at
Wheeling, the lronton and Ashland, the
Aurora Mill and the mills at Chicago and
Belleville, wore all prepared to inaugurate
the movement December IS. Tie fifth
and sixth mills at Wheeling hesitated only
upon the ground OF fear Us to the policy
Of the seventh. The seventh mill at
Wheeling, together with the mills at Terre
HautO and Green Castle, Ind, numbering
1902 machines, we're the only mills that
positively declined cooperation. Their
refusal to cooperate was not upon
the ground Of the impracaticability
OF the plan. but for other personal rea-
SONS, that itwould not do to give publicity
to. The failure TO carry out the plan Of
the convention leaves the nail business for
the spring and summer trade whereof was
last tall; nay even worse, which all nail
manufacturers will readily admit. What
would have been the result under the
plan proposed? Taking the product and
consumption OF 1877 as the basis for the
product and consumption OF 1870, every
nall machine In the West would have
been guaranteed production OF two
thirds Of their actual productive capacity,
and the manufacturers guaranteed any
margin fixed upon in their associated
wisdom for the reason that all temptation
to undersell would have been entirely re.
:S:@@S. al 1GT present condition,
what Is to be done? The policy in.
timated is that the stronger companies
are 10 continue in operation, even at loss,
until the weaker ones are crushed out.
Suppose such a course is pursued until
but lew OF the present companies arc
SnoWn 10 remain intact. What will have
been gained? What will be crushed out?
The men composing the many organiza.
tons, or the machinery? II the latter.
and no more now machines were to be al.
lowed to take thei place, the point made
ny the parties iavoring the crushing out
P3HSS "Su4u ue kOOu OHts Dut WLluJ
"re the facts? There have been several
very heavy failures in the nail business
since the panic Of 1873. Companies have
gone down one after another, and yet the
number OF nail machines in the west has
steadily increased and Is still on
the increase; and It Is an unde-
niable TACT that the reorganized com.
panies arc stronger competitors than were
the old companies. II overproduction Is
the cause Of the present unsatisfactory
aud unremunerative condition OF the nail
business OF the country, as we think 1t is,
would it not indicate greater wisdom and
business capacity on the part OF manufac-
turers, to unite upon some general plan
that would secure to each fair proportion
OF the business, and at the same time Sc
cure to all reasonable margin on their
products until the consumption equaled
the productive capacity OF the country.
Such a general plan could be adopted as
would afford reasonable protection to
manufacturers and work no hardship to
the Jobbers or consumers. W. II. T.