Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-04-15
u.x1x1EYIrEs ALARMED.

co--a;n If our high tariff contempor-
aries appear to be considerably alarmed
on account Of recent movements in the
iron and steel industry, such as the
foundation OF the gigantic iron com
bina,ion. which includes every branch
of the industry from the raw material
coke and ore-to the finished pro-
duct. These Mckinley organs are beg
ging and praying the manufacturers IN
this highly protected industry 10 re-
member that a Presidential campaign
is on foot. The formation OF combln-
atoms controlling the leading raw ma
terials OF the industry in the North,
Steel in crude forms, rails, nails, and
other products, fills some Of our Re-
publican contemporaries with pain.
And so they urge the manufacturers TO
go slow perceiying that these gentle
men shall persist in their untimely pro
/ ceedings the party leaders will be I'M
able TO fool anybody OF ordinary in
telligence as 70 the crying need for
higher tariff duties in the iron sched-
ule.
The Philadelphia Press. the leading
high-ariff journal Of Pennsylvania, re-
marked several days ago that the gen.
eral cause OF protection never looked
more prosperous or more certain OF a
sweeping National victory than in the
approaching Presidential election" but
then the Press went on TO rebuke the
iron and steel manufacturers for OBJ
scuring this bright prospect and ex-
citing the anxiety of their political
; friends Il said:
THE iron trade is becoming the seat and
centre OF large number OF combinations
whose first result has been 70 advance
prices 10 the consumer. Under modern
/ trade conditions certain amount Of con-
SOlidatiOn and animation is both wise
and inevitable. Where these reduce eN-
penseS. introduce economies and reduce
/ prices. the Press has never heSitated 10
defend them in the teeth Of a general pop
ular diSfaV0r.
Unfortunately. the combination in iron
and steel are not OF this character. y COM
hination IN cokS has advanced prices. but
/ there is this 20 be said for II, that il has
advanced wages and that full free compe-
titiOn exists between COnnellSVille coke and
that produced elsewhere. The iron ore
combination CIr. H9nna'S) has. however,
advanced prices and not wages. This is
unjuS-ifiable.
The steel billet combination. like that
in ore by raising prices. has affected all
branches OF steel manufacture. II has
threatened the existence of the tin plate
| trade. The price of a long list Of articles
20 the consumer Will be advanced by its
These are not the only combinations in
1 the iron and steel trade. but all are open
20 the same objection.
III IS a very grave and serious one Inc
/ iron and steel clauses in the metal schedule
stand alone in the tariff. There Is no such
I interGeperGence as exists with many otner
| industries. (No opportunity, ior iog-roll-
/ ing2l This has been repeatedly SHOWN by
CapriciouS votes in CongresS-as With steel
rails tin plates. and cotton ueS-cutting
I down fair duties. although the rail COM
/ bination row underSells England and Bel
/ gillrr in Japan az 81. . per ton. and cotton
/ ties are exported from Ohio 10 IndiaO Let
/ these combinations once give the Western
Z ard Southern farmer the conviction that
l Truss in iron and steel are adding 20
p-sce. ard the iron and steel rates Will be
I mercilessly cut These combinations. IN
/ addition. are working most serious IN
| Jury 20 trade by the advances they are
| making.
Il is evident that the chief high tar
if organ OF the chief high tariff State
OF Pennsylvania is very much disturb
ed by what is now going on in the iron
business. having in mind the Repub-
lican programme for decided increase
of duties. As the New York Times puts
II. the Press is highly displeased be
| cause the manufacturers are not pru-
dent enough 10 wait until Republican
President shall have been elected, but
insist upon giving proof now, right on
the eve OF the campaign, that they do
not need the duties for protection. II
they continue 10 be so short-sighted,
how are the politicians and party or
cans 10 show that these duties ought
not only to be retained but also to be
/ increased?
II will be observed that the Philadel-
phia organ says nothing about those
notorious sales Of rails and nails. &C.,
for export which indicate that the COM
: bined manufacturers of this product
really need no protective duties what
ever.
All these complaints and this advice
will be forgotten. however, a few weeks
hence, when the fat contributions from
the profits Of these untimely advances"
shall be pouring into the party'S cam
paign fund. as they poured in through
the agency OF Wanamaker and other
collectors in 1883. and our good neigh
Dor in Philadelphia, now so deeply NOV
ed by the iniquity and imprudence Of
the current proceedings, will be urging
everybody in Pennsylvania to vote for
the Republican nominees in order that
protection TO the iron and steel in
dustry may be restored"
If the secret ballot is all right
and an excellent safeguard against
fraud az the regular election why does
our Fourteenth ST. contemporary OBJ
ject 70 it at the coming Republican
I ~