New-York tribune., 1893-12-02
A QUESTION OF RETENCE

Chairman Wilson proposes TO save the people
several millions every year In the cost OF vari-
o,Is products. IL is beautiful idea. ana at iirst
blush II seems strange that the people do not
appreciate his kindness But they must have
earnings before they can buy. II occurs TO
them that this scheme cuts Off their earnings.
and then tantallzcs them with cheap goods
which they no longer are able 10 gct nj any
price. lie does not think So and has some
theories in his head which came to him from
Mr.. Walker. fifty years ago, and If they are
correct, the industries OF the country will be-
more prosperous with Free Trade. or his ap-
proach TO Free Trade. than they are now. The
orics are always delightful. but men who work
eight or ten hours per day want something
more satisfactory for their meals.
Here are the iron workers about 10000
strong Part Of them are getting out ore; he
makes ore free and they are discharged. Fart
are making pig iron. and he puts the duty at
81 20 per ton 20 81 - per ton, 50 that Scotch
iron can be imported here in unlimited quan-
titles at lower prices than similar grades OF
American iron selling even at the unprcce,ent-
cd prices now prevailing. II is evident that
iron producers must stand idle. earning moth
inc In order that The rest may have their ma
tcrals cheaper. The theory Is that the rest
will do better but what are the facts: Begin
ming with steel rails. these can BE- shipped from
MIddleboro at SIS per ton. and how much less
II Is impossible 10 state. because nobody can
say what sellers will swear as 10 the value OF
the rails they have sold In this country after
great depression rails are now selling Tor S24
per ton. II may be granted that the combina-
ton has been Of no benefit 10 American indus
try but Of great harm 10 its development ana
defence. But the worker would suffer from
dcprcssion and he only Mr.. Carnegie and the
Illinois Company are paying the Pennsylvania
and the Maryland concerns 10 lie idle No
body pays their hands for lying idle. Mr..
Wilson takes wages from them and they get
nothing. Cheaper rails for the seaboard may
result. perhaps, but what more?
Back comes the question to the iron pro-
duccrs, for what are other miners and fur
nace.owners Of New-York and New-Jersey. Vir-
ginia and West Virginia going TO do, with for
ejgn iron offered at their doors for less than
present panic prices, and with the mills closed
at the East which manufacture such iron? With
round iron 80 per cent now 10 per cent; with
beams 35 per cent. now Is per cent; with boiler
iron 80 per cent. now II to 30 per cent: with
forged iron 80 per cent, now 30 per cent; with
cotton ties, In which great Industry has been
built up now III per cent. made free contrary
to all regard for theories, or revenue either, In
obedience to a sectional demand; with tin
plates, in which many new establishments have
been employed. put at - per cent instead OF
20 per cent. and with steel ingots at % instead
Of IL per cent, what is this manufacture to do!
Does anybody need to be told that great pro-
portion of the iron manufacturing works must
close. and that hundred thousand or more
Of the hands must be thrown out Of employ
mcnt with no hope Of return!
The situation evidently means the permanent
stoppage OF more than half the works in the
country. Instead Of 100000 persons employed
there may possibly be employed mt the most
175.OOO. The loss of wages for these alone
would be about $75O0O,0O0. II not more than
40 per cent be taken from the wages Of the
rest to enable them to compete with foreign
producers, the difference would be $3000O,OOO,
so that in all $1O5, 900 900 would be taken from
the amount which the iron workers are able to
eXpcnd in n year. Ii Is not an encouraging
fact. for other industries which can hardly
thrive when the iron industry Is reduced to part
time and short wages. Yet this Is called
revenue tariff Who are to buy the products Of
foreign mills American Industries and Ameri-
can consumers being thus crippled? Within the
last half-year the demand for iron has been re-
duced nearly 90 per cent because the people
had stopped buying Are we to expect that the
demand will be greater. with the mills perma-
ncntly closed which would ordinarily employ
175OOO hands? Is there larger revenue to be
raised by cutting of half the buying power OF
Americap consumers?