Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-04-18
LEAKED OUT.
Tas Result of the Iron Conference,
Saturday.
The Manufacturers Want a Fifty Cent Re-
duetion in Pudding and Lower
Scale General Labor
Matters.

| II Is claimed, in Pittsburgh, that the
| proposition of the manufacturers, at the
conference, on Saturday, has leaked out.
The information so gained was taken by a
REGISTER reporter, yesterday, to4everal
man ufacturers, but they declined to either
deny or confirm the report. The Pitts
suthority says:
REDUCTION IN BOILING.
The proceedings at the conference on
l4seurday between committees of the man
q facturers and the Amalgamated Associa-
tiOns are gradually leaking out. Each con.
fierce was pledged 10 secrecy and at first all
refused to talk. Yesterday i. could only
be stated that nothing was done, but to day
We can announce that the manufacturers
submitted to the workingmen PROPOSE
ton for heavy reduction in wages. Their
proposition is that
When bar iron The price of pud-
sell at ding shall De
~ cents per pound s. per ton
cents per pound........... ........S ~ per ton
This is self-explanatoary. The present
scale provides that when bar iron sells at
21z cents per pound or less the price of pub
ding shall be IS. so per ton. The PROPOSE
ton of the manufacturers, therefore im-
poses both reduction in the basis OF the
scale and reduction also in the amount
| of wages paid with the scale at the same
basis.
GENERAL REDUCTIONS ALL ABOUND.
The proposed reduction would be only so
cents per ton for pudding, but iron is now
selling below $40 per ton and the claim IS
made that the reduction of wages will
simply pave the way for another reduction
in the selling price of iron. 1t is said the
reason given for the proposed re-
duction is the reduction made by Congress
| in the tariff duties. But it is claimed that
| the reduction of wages is beyond all reason.
All the new duties are only from
! 10 to Is per centlow on iron aud its man
ufactures than the old rate. The reduction
| Of wsges proposed by the manufacturers
would cover the entire reduction OF duties,
| and the workmen be compelled to stand all
| the shrinkage caused by the reduced tariff.
! In addition TO this, the manufacturers pro-
| pose an immediate reduction Of 10 per
| cent. on all labor entering into the com.
mon grades OF iron, and from ID to 20 per
! cent reduction on the labor entering into
| the manufacture OF the higher grades OF
| iron.
AN OFFICIAL OPINION.
Wiah the above facts in his possession a
reporter OF the Commercial Gazettee yes
terday attempted to find manufacturer or
! person interested who would talk on the
| matter. One gentlemen, who attended the
| conference and knows whereof he talks.
said in answer to interrogatories, The
! tariff is not the only cause assigned for
the reduction. Wages to the east and west
| OF Pittsburgh have been reduced, and
| there is no reason why wages should
not go down here in proportion.
| A few years ago the workmen were granted
| an advance, but in the present state OF
things they must go back to the old rates.
am aware that the tariff reductions do not
apply particularly to iron as to Steel but
the iron market is indirectly and largely
affected In the East pudding has been
reduced to as low as So so per ton, and the
recent reduction in the West OF 80 per cent.
affecting all the Bessemer mills must be
! met here, and it cannot be met except to
reduce the cost of manufacture by cutting
down wages"