The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-04-25

speak for themselves? Pittsburgh and
Wheeling sell nails at % cents per key
lower than the rest OF the world, and then
complain that they are ruined by Eastern
competition and the price OF labor must
come down. Unless they have geographic
cal disadvantages. this claim must be ab.
surd. Will you just look at the map Mr..
Editor, and see how the Western mills
stand, as compared with the Eastern ones,
In reference TO facilities for distributing
their product throughout the immense
West. Does it louE as II they had any dis.
advantage there? Certainly not. Then
why in the name OF common sense are
they selling nails at % cents per key less
than Eastern mills, when the products Of
those Eastern mills must run almost
through the mill yards Of the Western
mills on their way to the West, the natur.
III market Of the Western mills? The con.
cluSion Is clear as daylight The Western
mills have made theirown business profit.
able by competing with each other, and
not in consequence Of the competition Of
Eastern mills. But there is still another
fact which tends to explain the heavy
losses OF some Of our Western mills. In
their desire TO work of their product they
have attempted to work off their goods in
markets which were sealed against them
by the laws ofnature,
NAILS TO san FRANCISCO.
My article is already so long that will
not 80 into this point at length, but will
name one instance. For years the market
OF San Francisco has been supplied by
eastern mills, located on the coast, and
having direct communication with it By
sailing vessels. The rates Of freight are
from IS to 40 cents, from New York or
Boston to San Francisco. Certain manu-.
facturers in Pittsburgh, and | think in
Wheeling, saw large market for nails
there, and shipped heavily by the Pacific
Railroad. What do you think the rates
were? Sl,0O per key from Pittsburgh, and
81, 10 from Wheeling, How is that for q
financial operation 2 They sent nails to that
market at cost OF least EiIty celItsper ktg
more for freight than was paid by eastern
mills ior delivery at the same point.
MeSsrs. Chess, Smyth & Co., are said to
have sent tens Of thousands Of kegs to that
market by railroad, and they now come
out with q circular TO their men, requesting
them to lower their wages, so as to enable
the firm to compete with eastern mills. /
think n reduction large enough to enable
western mills-tO pay sixty cents per key
extra freight would draw pretty heavily
upongps, -i.s!Hlst ul ta.G8f ~ =
TIE EFFECT OF REDUCING WAGES,
Now, from tile facts which Ihave given,
it seems to me pretty clear, Mr.. Editor,
that the effort In which we are invited By
the manufacturers to take baud lat our
own eSpense) is not an effort to maintain
our own natural markets against eastern
competition, but Is an attempt to open new
markets for western mills, By hestoppage
of the millsthat are now supplying them.
An excessive increase OF manufacturing
interests here hasso overcrowded our own
natural markets that we have engaged In
rlinous competition with each other, and
the manufacturers desire to make new
markets for themselves, at the expense OF
the prosperity Of our neighbors. And
these markets are 10 be opened by reduc.
ing the wages OF the men who have made
the fortunes Of the manufacturers. Well,
this may DO the best way out OF tho ditli-
Guilty, but confess don'ts see Il. To be-
sin with, the method will not produce the
desired result Theeastern mills have 70.
dueed the price Of their labor to such q
degree as will enable them to retain
their own markets In competition with
nails made by the cheap cohlot the West.
II labor Is reduced here, corresponding
reduction will be necessary, and iriR Be
made, We shall not then be one whit