Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-26
QUITE COOL ABOUT IT.
Pittsburg Coal Operators on the Pro-
posed Southern Boycott.
THE SOUTH MUST HAVE COAL,
And the General opinion is That the
Cheapest and Best is Wanted.
SOME OBSERVATIONS OF DRUMMERS


whole.
''The thing is absurd" said Captain W.
W. O'Neil yesterday. "If the Southerners
| don't buy from the North they must do
without, that is all. They are dependent
on the North for their coal supply, for the
output of Alabama and Tennessee would
not last them anytime. Anyhow, they will
buy in the cheapest market, and as we un-
dersell them all along, why they will buy
| from us"
"It is only few wide-mouthed fellows
down there" remarked Commodore Joseph
Walton, "who are talking about boycotting
us, and the few politicians who are instigat-
ing all this talk will not influence the busi-
ness people. There are any number OF
good, sensible people in the South, and
they are going to attend to their business
and let the politicians attend to theirs. The
South depends on the North for its coal
supply, and even if they had coal fields
such as ours there they would still buy in
the cheapest market. This is the cheapest
market. and buyers won't be scared from it
to the injury of their business.
IN A NUTSHELL.
''To put the matter in nutshell" said
Mr.. J. Steytler, Southern coal is being un-
dersold by Northern coal, and the Southern
people are not such fools as to pay more for
an article than they can buy it for. Despite
the fact that we have to send 1t there in frail
craft, under heavy risks and costs, we can
sell the South coal which is at the same time
better than their own and cheaper. The
Southern people are shrewd enough to see
through chimera, as this agitation seems
to be-"
Drummers, from the nature of their busi-
ness, may claim to know something OF the
people among whom their walk of lie calls
them. Several seen last night by DISPATCH
reporters around the hotels, held dissimilar
views on the question OF Southern boycott
of Northern industries. While some
maintain that Southern traders will
not allow their pockets to suffer
in support Of q sentiment, others think that
the cIannish feeling of the people would in
cite them to act together in case boycott
were determined upon. One man thinks
that boycott in the South would open
door for the entrance of more Northern
capital, which is held to be dominantin the
chief industrial cities of the South. and an
other thinks that the cutting off OF Northern
Europe. They spoke for themselves. as
follows:
WANT CHEAP GOODS.
The travelling agent for an Ohio chimney
house said: "The Southern people don't
care where they buy SO long as they get
cheap goods at cheap prices. They buy
very little high grade goods. and the bulk
of the chimney ware shipped there is OF in
L. kax7 %On nat mil IA "a
European product, and sometimes we get
the upper hand of them and they at times
try to undersell us. If the South was
to boycott the North it could readily
obtain supplies from Europe in the
inferior grades and at about as low prices.
For better grades they should come to US.
I think it likely that the Southern people,
if they determine ON boycott would suffer
Inconvenience in support of sentiment.
Chimneys, however, are a necessity, and
probably they would soon see the necessity
of reopening negotiations for goods of the
better class The inferior grades they would
buy altogether abroad"
A pressed ware salesman said: "The
South must buy pressed ware in the North
ern markets, or do without. 1t gets its
supplies from no other source. Northern
capital has very great hold in the enter
influence in them, and especially in Texas, as
would counteract largely any disposition to
discourage the purchase of Northern goods.
Where Northern capital is controlled by
Northerners living South, the same effect
would not result, as Northerners, after a
residence of three or four years there, fall in
with the views of the people, or, in any case,
act in harmony with them. should judge
that the Southern people are capable of
originating such boycott as suggested, but
they would be the sufferers more than We
would"
QUITE CLANNIsH PEOPLE.
Mr.. Robert h. Parker. who has travelled
extensively in the South, said ''The South
ern people are very clannish. and always
give the preference to home industries to
those outside. In the case of boycott an
incentive would be given the Southern in
dustries through the Increased demand, due
10 a confined market. Southern manu-
factures are still in primeval condition,
but even so, are capable Of producing
about as good qualities of stuff as the market
demands. The South buys inferior grades
because the demand is for goods of low
prices. The Southeners are now busy in
booming their own industries and prefer
bad Southern-made goods to the better-grade
Northern product In my line orders that
now come East would. in the event of q
boycott. 60 to st. Louis and Wheeling"
Mr.. A. 81. Bragg, who represents West
Virginia tobacco house, expressed the opin-
ion that the Southern people meant to an
tagohize the Federal election bill as far as
they could, and would have no trade with
districts whose representatives voted for the
passage of the measure. He thought that
Northern eapital, which was largely in
vested in the South, might have a restrain |
ing power, but not much.
Mr., q. d. Laidiaw, who travels for an
Eastern shoe house, said that be was OF
opinion the shutting off OF Southern orders
would be strongly felt in the East. A large
business was done with the South, and the
Southernefs, apt to act in harmony on such
q question, would look elsewhere for mar
ket.
LITTLE MORE LIGHT.
Mr.. Hill, a prominent Pittsburger, who |
has made business trips to Southern cities, |
threw some light on the boycott matter last |
night. at the Anderson. He said: "It is |
out of the question for the South to shut out |
the North. in the commercial line. Mem |
phis. Charleston, and other points have O |
large percentage OF Nortbeners in their |
that would fight against any
such proposition.
james M. Lambing, the popular agent of
an engine manufacturing company, was
seen at the Seventh Avenue wearing out his
seventh silk hat won on Harrison's election.
Said he: Southern merchants will natur-
ally look out for their own interests. IF
they can buy a Northern article cheaper
than anywhere else, they are going to do it.
boycott or no boycott. When 1t comes right
down to hard-pan business, sentiment is
away out of sight"