The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-10-23
Mr.. John Jarrett and tho ssrlkc.

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Mr.. John Jarrett and tho scribe.
Our ncighbor, tho Newsletter, has some
timely remarks on the effort to bring Pres,
ident John Jmrett, OF tho. ,Amalgamated
Association, into. discredit, md disgrace.
We hardly suppose the efforts making
against him will DO successful, although
there is no telling what a few hot heads
may accomplish. Mr.. jarrett saw clearly
oil the fra. Of last June that the strike was
inopportune. Why did he think so? Dc.
cause bcinga man Of intelligence, expert.
cnce and travel hc could look over the
whole field md take in the condition Of
the iron market-indeed Of trade In all Its
deparlments-nnd thus viewing the situa.
ton he saw that there was an overproduc.
ton, and that, strike or no strike, q cessa;;
ton Of production would be necessary in
order to impart any lie TO trade. ~ a,t! 4
lie saw that the season had been unnat.
urally cold and backward; that there WINS
great uncertainty, about the crops; that The
country trade had called halt and were
not disposed to buy from the manufacturers
and jobbes; that last years short crop was
being everywhere iclt, and that fears were
abroad that another like season was TO fol.
low in 1882, and that II It did there would
probably be a commercial panic. He had
mixed with both sides and realized that u
decline in prices had set in that would
know no halt until the tide Of agricultural
prospects should turn, and not even then
until the production Of iron goods was cur
tailed, and that therefore the manufacture
ers were perfectly willing to shut up their
factories and await events. II,
Mr.. Jarrett saw all this (low could he
help seeing ny and therefore he labored
TO impress upon others his views. In this
he failed, but in the end his Judgment was
entirely vindicated, and he stands before
the world to-day rs man Of vindicated in.
telligcnce. 81
But now comes the effort 10 deposc him.
For what? Because "the stars in their
courses fought against" his side,-ins other
worls, the lines and seasons, or the great
law Of supply and demand, and n scape-
goat is demanded. % a# s.
Mr.. jarrett may not DO the best man in
the Amalgamated Association for Presi-
dent. lie may not have the energy and
executive force demanded for such place.
We know not how this is. But certainly
no man OF inferior intelligence should 10
substituted for him. 1t is a position where
above Nil things the largest measure OF
calm, sober and conservative intelligence
and sound judgment are required. A lack
OF this qualification would be fatal. This
we say MS n believer in the necessity for
the Amalgamated Association US the
proper protection Of the best interests not
only Of workmen but Of the communities
in which they live. A7Hl
AS regards the strike that actually occur.
red despite Mr.. Jarrett's advice, it is Ger.
tainly not without its compensations to the
workmen. It had one great result that NIL
must now sec and acknowledge. 1t sus-
tanned prices and tided the iron trade over
what might have been otherwise aprotract-
ed period Of almost fatal depression. Had
manufacturing gone on at Pittsburgh tho
Valleys and Wheeling, and in other dis
tricts, there is no telling to what point
prices would have fallen, or where tic
card OF wages might have been dragged.
Once dragged down, the experience of
1879 might have been repeated, in which
year, despite n good demand, goods were
almost given away By reason of over
production md manufacturing liealousics
M ,,n.,o 30, = o,,o,,oo "a %. ;,so,fa,,
,n nv "'A'"e' tot u '''"'''' " s'' ''s.'' o"'
Inc improved crop prospects came 10 tie
rescue, aud to-day trade is on n firmcr
basis than il was on the first day of June.
=, vi &C., ,,o ~. ,o,,;,;,a ,I,o ,,o.,.,, .,;u
IL. 1t is already declining under an 'anprc.
hendcd slut ut an early day. Despite FUR
demand for .'spot" goods, future deliveries
are weak. Some timid or embarrassedman.