The Negro world., 1892-09-03
a MEEk.s RECORD.

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and Wages Reduced In ArtiticiAlIy stipa-
uiated Industries.
1t is the claim of protectionists--as
ridiculous as it is general-that protec-
tion tariffs tend to destroy monopolies
and trusts. to increase production, to
lower prices and To raise wages Tariff
reformers take a different view on all
these points and base their opinions
less upon the theory and more upon
facts. that is, they have recently called
the attention of the country to list of
100 tariff trusts; to a list of 500 wage
reductions in protected industries since
October, 1890; TO hundreds of articles
on which both the duty and the price
have been increased; to hundreds of
mills and factories closed bg these tariff
trusts TO restrict production, and To
numerous other similar facts Readers
of trade papers come across a multitude
of facts on the tariff reform side of this
question Here are a few taken from
the weekly Iron Age of August 4, 1902.
II should be remembered that the great
est of all protected Industries IS that of
iron and steel manufactures:
1. 1t publishes n list of eight big iron
and steel combines and of several small
Ter ones of recent date. These embrace
the manufacture Of steel rails, struct-
uraA steel. crucible and open-hearth
steel, steel billets, wire rods, wire, wire
nails, boiler and tank plates, armor
plates, cut nails, slabs, pig iron, bar
iron. etc.
9. 1t discusses "the tactics of the coal
combine" which has advanced prices Of
anthracite coal several times during the
last few months and which will con-
tinue to make advances from time to
time in a sort of arithmetical progress
sion. with the apparent, IL not openly
avowed. design of reaching certain
maximum--say, e. a ton for stove-'be-
fore the snow flies"
OF course the duty ON bituminous
coal. which competes with anthracite
makes II easier for the coal combine to
reach "a certain definite maximum,
3. 1t says, THE latest combine in the
mercantile world is fur pool with
$40, OoO, 900 capital, i'm which nearly all
the firms in the trade have become In
terested." This Is the George w. Tread
we'll trust which has n monopoly of the
seal fur industry of Alaska and also of
the dyeing Of furs, and which can adjust
prices in this country up To the limits
of duty.
4. 1t announces firmer and upward
prices for wire and cut nails and re-
duction of To 10 per cent in the scale
of wages for wire drawing for 1892 and
1898. Also that a large number of wire
and cut nail mills are shut down.
8. 1t says: THE Continental tube
works. at Frankstown and Pittsburgh,
! have closed down for an indefinite
period" because the firm did not feel
justified in buying sl.elp iron in the open
market at the recent advance in prices. "
o. "On account of the depression In
the iron market, the Isabella Furnace
Co, operating the Isabella furnace at
| Etna, Pa have banked down one stack
and will probably bank another during
| the present week"
Z. "Addyston Pipe works, the largest
in the country, have posted a notice of
| a shutdown for an indefinite period.
s. "The Dunbar Furnace Co, at Dun
bar, Pa, operating the two Dunbar fur
naces. closed them down on Saturday,
/ July so, for an indefinite period "
Closing down due to the present de-
preston existing in the pig iron trade. "
o. The keystone Horseshoe Co, OF
! Philadelphia, have started upon three
tourths capacity after "A shutdown OF
three weeks during which time the
workmen concluded TO make the re-
| quired concessions" necessary To re-
sumo work.
TO- Recent advances, amounting 70 s3
and e. per ton have been made in struct-
tural steel.
| IL. There is better tone TO prices
facturers have withdrawn their quota
tions."
IL ut is estimated that about $4,000
men are now idle, causing some eighty
buildings in course CT construction Ia
be tied up" in New York City.
Is 1T Is estimated that during the
present month perceptible increase In
prices will be noticed for window
glass.
The Iron Age attempts editorially "a
explain the grave necessity which ex.
I lhlS IoT Tic ltftliuR vi NdRtH Ah Wv
iron industry. II says both prices and
wages have been on an artificial basis
and that with the disappearance OF
artificial values the artificial standard
of wages also falls"
These itcms-such as occur every
week-give a fair IDEA of industries
propped up by tariff Unsteady and
fluctuating prices and production, com
binations Of capital 10 restrict produc
tion. raise prices and reduce wages, Ia
Dor unions 20 resist the reductions
strikes, boycotts and labor riots-all
paid for in the end by the consumer
who votes 10 sustain this unnatural and
unhealthy system Of providing for ouI