Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-05-08
IRON AND STEEL.
FINAL MEETING OF THE ASSOCIATION.
A Western Delegate Sends Bomb into
the Camp-HOw Employers Should
Treat Workmen-lOw Prices Of
lron-The Tariff Question, etc.

=
the members on different phases OF the
tariff question. The report was quite
lengthy, but there was nothing Of i'm
portance in it, further than the
suggestion of the topics of discussion.
Even after the topics were announced
the members seemed lOath to enter into
the discussion, and then Mr.. Shinn sug-
gested that Secretary Swank give his
views as to the needs and necessity OF the
Iron and Steel Association.
Condition Of the Association.
Secretary Swank then read an extract
from President MorrelPs address in re-
gard to the financial management OF the
association. The annual receipts from
assessments, dues, etc, have been about
$4,000, and the annual expenses SILL
500. While the expenses have general
lv exceeded the receipts, there is still
some money in the treasury.
w. p. Shinn-HOw much money
ought the association to have, and how
many members ought We to have?
Mr. Swank-Well, to answer your last
question first, | would say that since the
association works for all steel and iron
men all such should belong to the assO-
ciauon. About $4,000 would meet all
our expenses. We have not done as
much work lately in behalf OF the tariff
cause as we should, since that is one OF
the prime objects of our association. We
have not distributed as many tracts as
we would ike TO circulate; we haven't
enough lecturers in the field, and We
don't circulate enough newspapers. II
we had more money we could send tar
iff pamphlets broadcast over the Coun-
try, and thus educate the people in IA
vor of a protective policy.
Mr. Shinn-The Secretary didn't catch
the drift of my question. How many
persons paid last year? Some OF us
paid $500, while there are many who
made no payments. Would not an as
sessment of $50 on each member raise
more money?
Secretary Swank-I think it would be
unwise to depart from the present sys-
TEN of assessments. Some OF the
poorer firms would be unable even TO
pay $50.
A Bomb in the Camp.
Mr. 0. w. Potter, of Chicago, here
asked the privilege of reading some crit
icisms on the Association, stating ut the
same time he was one of the delinquents.
President Morrrell replied that the con-
vention would be glad TO hear the paper,
and Nh. Potter commenced reading.
The paper was regular bOmb-shell in
the camp.
The paper referred to the develop
ment of the iron industries in the West
ern States. which extension of trade, the
author argued, was demanded by the in
crease in population in that country. 1t
is unfair, then, for the Eastern manufac-
turers to demand or suggest that the
Western people should Contine them
selves 10 agriculture. The Association,
too, was to be censured for negligence.
Since the panic the Association has
never called conference OF the iron
manufacturers to consult as to how we
could prevent one another from falling,
TO prevent the general wreck OF our
members. The Secretary has notified
us what furnaces are cold, has told us
generally who hadgone into bankruptcy
and who ought to 90 into bankruptcy,
but has done nothing to save us. The
author next referred to the cOmpetl-
ton between the eastern and west
ern iron manufacturers, and gave the
PENNSYLVANIA manufacturers severe
dab for implied efforts to undersell the
western manufacturers in the latter S
own markets, because they (Pennsylva-
MIA manufacturers had superior advan-
tagcs i'm the way of coal, transportation,
etc. The western manufacturers could
not feel very kindly to an eastern man
ufacturer who would come out to their
works, especially when the eastern men
were sending their products past the
mills OF the western men, and the work
lngmen OF the latter mills, hall naked,
and with their wives and children lily
f5d and also illv clothed, were looking
at the eastern iron passing the idle mills
of the west. In such a case the work
men would commit no personal vio'
lence, but would use some very PLAIN
language.
The Tariff Question.
Concerning the tariff question Mr.
Potter said:
But we have presented for our con
sideration a country that has lost oul
market and is in a desperate condition
therefrom. We have had Congress fol
the past seven years favorable to oul
protective system, and we ourselves 10y
our own stupidity have put in the
hands OF the enemies of that Congress
an argument for change IN that tarlt
that can ruin every one OF us IN tlv(
wears, and this Association will only be
needed as pail bearers at the burial OF &
worthless corpse. II We continue on II
! our present suicidal and infamous poll
cv. To illustrate, in the matter OF duty
on steel rails, We had representatives a
| Washington during the discussion OF the
/ Wood Tariff BILL insisting on our duty
! of S2S per ton being maintained, or de
\ struction awaited all BeSsemer work,
financially, and you of Pennsylvania
were selling steel rails at $40 per ton anC
under, delivered at Boston, New York
| Philadelphia and Baltimore, and telling
\ Ms Of the West YOU were satisfied Will
\ such prices. Now, gentlemen, one o
/ TWO tllDES Is True. YOU Su'ulN SOl wv
| $40 per ton for steel rails at the sea
\ board, or YOU do not want a S2S tariff OF
them. But if you will look around yor
at the ruin YOU brought down upOI
nearly every branch OF this industry b!
your acts YOU will see that YOU wer,
wrong and not the tariff, and had thu
tariff been partially distributed betweer
/ the ore miners, the ore owners, the pi!
metal men and their laborers, and tn,
| coal producers and their laborers, anC
your own laborers and shareholders, tn
votes TO send Representatives to Con
gress who would stand by what this as
/ sociation knows this country demands
would not have been so terribly split NJ
bv the Socialists or Commune as 1t /
! now.
how They Look at it in the West.
And now, sir, this is what wOult
say of this Protective Tariff We hea
so much about: 1t must be a natiOna
benefit, not one for Pennsylvania alon,
or Illinois alone. 1t is to be tariff tina
will protect labor and capital in Georgia
in Tennessee, Kansas, or Illinois, ever
l III l.