Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-05-17
Mr. scott's Inaccuracies.

Nj. D0lZelt, OF the PltJSDurR uisuICt,
has pointed out In Congress the same insc-
euracies in the speech Of Hon. William J..
Scott, upon the production Of steel at the
Edgar Thomson works, that we have al.
ready noted. Mr.. Dalzell is Republi.
can, and permitted himself to show an
ger ct Mr.. Scott's mistakes. He would
have been more impressive IL he had
taken them more good naturedly, and as
they have been taken by the newspapers
and people OF Pittsburg. Mr.. Scott's
errors were 30 manifest, that Pitts
burg iron manufacturers seem to
have laughed over them and to have
thought that they corrected themselves !;
- they did among people who had knowl-
edge of the subject. But the great mass
Of people outside iron manufacturing cir.
clss do not have this knowledge, aud
wsre ready to accept Mr.. Scott as author
ity. Doubtless Mr.. Dalzsll found this
state Of ignorance in Congress, and that
Mr.. Scott's figures produced an impres.
sion to which they were not entitled (;
and he therefore was not in state Of
mind to laugh over them.
But after awhile, when the subject is
fully ventilated and the people get the
hang Of it, they will see that Mr.. Scott
has not been correct, but has displayed
ignorance when he assumed to be, and
ought to have been, we'll posted. lie did
not even know that the Edgar Thomson
works, whose great profit in the manufac.
ture Of iron beams he gave figures tC
show, do not make iron beams
We had never heard that anything
was made there but steel rails, but we
did not suppose that Mr.. Scott would
state that beams were made, without
knowing the fact, and we concluded that
1t must have been an industry taken up
that had escaped our knowledge.
We object very much to accepting as
teachers those whom we find do not
know that which they undertake TO
teach. We shall hereafter object to be-
ing instructed about the iron and steel
industries Of Pennsylvania by the Hon.
VIM. l.. Scott. He does not know enough
about them, evidently, to take that place.
We had thought he knew more and that
II there was anything upon which he was
an expert, 1t was the Industrial condition
Of the state. Mr.. Scott has been a very
successful man, and from an humble
commencement has compassed the pos
session Of very great wealth and has arisen
to high position in the country and in the
councils Of the Democratic party. lie is
. very restless man, and he is very liberal
to causes with which he sympathizeg.
The Democratic party has always relied
upon him confidently and he has
not failed it. Under the present
Democratic administration he has become
especially prominent, his wealth, activity,
tariff sentiment and supposed sagaci,y
Recommending him to the presidents
confidence. But while there are places
In the party councils and administration
which Mr.. Scott's talents qualify him to
oil acceptably, his late speech upon
the tariff demonstrates very clearly
that his line of usefulness
70 not that Of the orator, sta
tistician or argument providsr and
suggests the suspicion that his best role Is
mot that OF craftsmanship. This is TO be
regretted in view of Mr.. Scott's pro.
posed prominence in the coming national
convention Of the party. Mr.. S,ott is
certainly not equipped to be the leader of
the Pennsylvania Democra cy.