Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-10-28
AN OBJECT LESSON.
[Continued from Fourth Page. ]

take 4,s0s pounds OF bituminous coal,
and for that it gets sl.97; then it has to
convert the coal into 3.Os2 pounds Of
coke, for that ii gets soc, then for get
ting and converting the ore, limestone
and the coke into 9,GG9 pounds Of pig
iron-for that work il gets sl.j7, then II
has got TO convert that 9.G69 pounds OF
pig iron into 2,4ss pounds Of steel in
gots, for that it gets Sl.6s, and the
fuel-bituminous coal, for the
conversion OF the above into
PASS pounds of steel ingots costs
81 cents. For the conversion Of steel
ingOtS into steel rails there is paid Sl.5i,
and for that fuel used in converting
these ingots into steel rails there is
paid 96 cents, So that in the labor in
volved in digging out the ore and the
limestone and the fuel for converting
the ore and the limestone into steel
rails, there is paid sll.59. That is all
the labor in it, aS we understand. all the
labor employed in making ton OF
steel railS-cOst Sll.59. What do YOU
think the same labor would cost In
pauper England? Just make mental
guess. 1t costs SLIP, and the difference
between the money paid TO American
labor in the making Of ton OF steel
rails as distinguished from English
labor engaged in the same work Is pre-
ciScly % 7l-l0O cents. Now then here
are my figures. That is what they
want to protect. They want to protect
that - cents difference. They want
to do more than that. They certainly
want to do more than that. They'll have
you believe they want to do ii. What
do you suppose is the tax protecting
that 27c. difference? What do you sup
pose?-Sl3.44! To protect that PC dif-
ference in labor they put on tax Of
Sl3.44. | can get nearer telling the
truth than that.
Now then, let me see II can't hit it
a little closer. The cost Of a ton Of
steel rails, including the Sll.59 paid to
the men who produce them. the sup
plieS-that is, the supplies used
in their production-rcpairS Of
the plant and the transportation
and the tax, and the salaries OF the Off
cialS, and the clerks. and every honest
charge that enters into their cost,
makes ton Of steel rails in this roun-
try cost S95.7S. add to that % per
cent proit-that is pretty good profit
30 per cent profit. and that would
make the rails S3O.9i. In Europe the
average cost of ton OF steel rails Is
so 50. allow profit of 2.sO-lO per
tuN ..rf.. 1 har
would make the selling price $500.
put on the Sl3.ii tax and that makes it
impossible 10 get a ton OF
steel rails into this country for
Jess than S39.0l, and that allows the
man who has the 20 per cent profit In
selling his rails at S3O.94 to sell his rails
aH Che way 20 $50. The difference in
cost over S30.9i is not to pay you that
21c difference, IS not TO encourage
American industry. but is to put bouu-
ty into his pocket. II be sells them to-
day for S33. he is getting S2.06 bounty
upon every ton Of rails that he sells.
Well. now, just imagine Mr.. Carnegie
selling rails, and for every ton OF rails
that goes out, S2.O6 goes in. Is IL any
wonder Mr.. Carnegie has enough to
live on? Do you see how the immense
fortunes have been amasSed?
Now, the Democratic party recognlz-
ing that difference OF pc between the
labor cost here and abroad-recogniz-
ing the difference in their conditions
would take the price Of steel rails IN
this country, add on the profit, add on
the difference in cost OF labor, double il
if you will, triple it If you will, add
that on, but don't add on a dollar OF
bounty to the manufacturers, because II
all comes back on you.
After the applause had subsidized Col.
Robert White made a few remarks and
the enthusiastic meeting came TO a close.
While the meeting was breaking up an
TnfclIigcnccr reporter who was present
pushed To the front and told Mr.. Grady
that he would accept the latter's propo-
sitiOn to publish that part OF the speech
referring To steel rails al
advertising rates. The MtcUtgcnccrS
reporter. thinking Mr.. Grady would
back out OF the proposition. was much
chagrined when Mr. Grady readily as
sented. and said he would 90 still
further and allow the whole speech to
90 in at the regular advertising rates.
The hitctigwccr reporter said he had no
authority to act for such a big job, but
would run the risk OF taking the first
proposition. This was agreed to, and
after the Tnfcligcnccr reporter had con-
suited with the editor. and proprietorS,
and telegraph editor. and possibly the
prcssman. it was finally sent out TO the
compositors aud will appear this morn
ing.