The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1894-01-26
What it Comes To.

What II Comes To.
Representative Tom Johnson is
a Democrat, and q business man
without any toolishness ahou. him.
He Is in one way a freak, being u
manufacturer Of steel rails who de-
neunces the tariff on steel rails as
a burden to the country. Through
Mr.. Johnson's hopest frankness We
get a valuable insight into the
present condition and some of the
recent history Of the steel rail bust
ness.
Condensed, Mr., Johnson's asser-
ton was that steel rails can be
manufactured at a profit for at the
most $40 a ton. They are selling
at $24 a ton because the manLfac
turers have agreed upon that price,
and have paid two big mills a large
sum to shut down in order to re-
strict production, Under the pres
ent tariff, the combination might
have agreed upon a higher price
than $24, but they could control
production better at that price
about The only motive that ever in.
duces a combine of this sort to
forego any part of its advantage,
When some member questioned the
existence OF this trust, Mr.. Johnson
promptly gave him the details Of
ii, being himself familiar with them
as manufacturer Of steel rails.
The agreement closed up two of
the seven steel rail mills in the
United States, the Maryland Steel
Co, being paid 81 900 II day to close
its immense new plant at Sparrow's
Point, Nd.
In substance this trust differs
from no other trust in its efforts
to control production, alter a pro-
tective tariff has stimulated it to all
excess.
Factories and mills spring up
rapidly because their possession
gives license for levying a bounty
on the people. Production increase
more rapidly than consumption.
Cutting Of prices follows and the
reduction is taken out of wages.
Still production is not checked.
Combinations follow. NJ anufac.
turers get together and agree to put
prices up again. They must not
be put too high; that would entice
more capital into the business.
They are fixed at a good round
profit, and out Of this profit those
manufacturers who run their works
pay a comfortable bonus to others
who are idle. Congress becomes a
partner in the deal oy putting on
tariff high enough to keep out for
eign competition, while the trust
takes care Of home competition out
of the excessive profits made posi-.
BILE by the tariff.
There can be no pretense here Of
giving the benefits of the tariff to
the workingman, or even of sharing
them with him. Here is only bold
robbery Of the people, in his name,
in order that unearned money may
be put into the pockets Of men who
art not giving employment to a
single pair of hands. The people
might endure the payment of a boz
nus to production under a mistak-
en- notion that they are con.ribut-
ing to the general good, but to ex-
act bonus as a reward for non.
production is to strip the protection
fallacy Of every misleading pre-.
tense and to show it up for what it
always and essentially is-simply
a tax on the people for the support
of a privileged class. No self.re-
specting people in this advanced
generation will submit to be taxed
for the enrichment of an idle class
who neither employ nor produce,
who are drones Of the most vicious
class, and dead weights on the la.
Dor Of the land, who exact tribute
on the pretense of giving it over to
workingmen, but employ part of it
to close up factories and retain Of
the rest Of it all that the trades
unions can not force them to pay.
Courier Journal.