Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-04-23
A Csa.gs Of Mad.

III charscte eristic inconsistency in order
gnw his Edgar Thomson works to start
N to-day after lately declaring that they
would lie idle until January. 1t is prob
able that when Mr.. Carnegie declared
that his mills and furnaces should lie idle
until January, he knew that he was say
ing what he did not mean; since 1t is
NOT easy to believe that man who
has shown 60 much business acumen
should 90 suddenly have changed his
mind as to the business situation.
It u evident that Mr.. Carnegie cannot
afford to let his works stand through the
year and 1t is not Of much public import
ance whether he moves now because
new light has dawned upon him, or be-
cause he has found that his bluff did not
bring the answer. In view of the cratic
variation OF his deeds and his words
We need not be too sure that he
will cling to his present position of hos
tility to his workmen. It Is clear enough
that after starting his works he will keep
them going, and If he cannot get along
without his old workmen, he will yield, as
gracefully as he may, sufficiently for his
ends. Being a philanthropist and
friend of humanity in general and
the workingman in particular, Mr.. Car
negie is evidently having hard task as
. manufacturer to make his business pro-
ductive. People in the same business all
around him, who are not philanthroplsts,
are running right along without labor
disturbances. The Pennsylvania steel
mill at Steelton, the steel mills at Scran-
ton, and the Cambria, at Johnstown,
have all been running, along with the
Chicago mills that Mr.. Carnegie claims
70 be taking all his business and they
are all further than he is from thu west
ern market, which is the market for rail
road rails.
Mr.. Carnegie's stoppage has done a
great deal to alarm the public about the
business situation. He is said to be the
largest manufacturer Of iron in the
country, and certainly has been one of
the most successful and presumably Is
one Of the most sagacious. His change
OF front ought to have very reassur.
ing effect upon those who were alarmed
by his threatened stoppage for the year.
II shows clearly either that he considers
the business prospect better or that he
never thought 1t to be bad. The lat.
ter 10 most likely, for there has never
been any good foundation for appre.
hsnsion OF bad business, which
has been solely caused, SO far ss
Il has happened, by such apprehension.
There has been q genera! checking of
purchases and stoppage Of enterprises be-
cause Of an unwarranted fear that the
bottom was about to drop out of bust
meas. The course of the managers of the
Pennsylvania railroad is fair illustra-
ton Of the situation. Early In the year
they proposed large expenditures for
maintenance and Improvement of way,
but suddenly suffered change Of heart
they became alarmed at the prospective
decrease Of income and stopped all new
work and directed that not a pound OF
material should be ordered that was not
8DoOluteiy needed.
It Ii much to be wondered at that
under this state Of feeling business has
continued to be as good as it is and it is
not surprising that there should now be
indication Of reaction and of the CON-
mencement of q demand that will
test the full manufacturing capacity
OF the country. A great many people do
mot expect to see such condition of
things until after the presidential elec-
tion an event that always disturbs bust
ness. 1t is not likely to have its usual
I influence this year. Its result is too read
ny forecssted to make it likely that 1t is
going to be q very exciting contest and
the expansive tendency Of the country is
too strong to be crushed by such innu.
ence.