New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-27
TWO AMERICANS.
A POLITICAL TALE WITH LESooN ~
LABOR. AND SOME SUGGESTIONS
TO OTHERS WHO TOLL NOT.

The period during which the astonishiHS HuP
pcnngs recorded in this tale took place ma!
he fixed at n time when the iron and steer manu-
features Of America could not have been &C.
scribed as an infant industry. Inc doctt'he
Of Protection was comparatively old as PoIiu-
cal shibbolcth. There had been extended TO TINS
trade \ generous degree OF Governmental assst-
ance in the shape Of q tariff on Imported iron
manufactures. and as a natural consequence,
the foreign producer laborod under disadvan-
tage in competing against home production In
American markets.
Wbfe the margin Of profit vouchsafed by
tariff bills was insured in his favor, the enter
prising American who dealt in iron and steel
had not hcsitatcd to experiment with costly ana
frequently ifnpractica!,lc labor-saVing machih-
cry The profits in his line had justified large ex-
ro-imental expenditures while the fear of sud
den change In Governmental policy when iNleh'
,lot out thcss profits had spurred him on to per-
sistcnt effort in the inviting field OF inVeh'io"'
nv degrees the slow-moving aud cumbersome
machines OF the trade had been cast ASIDE INT"
the scrap pile. TO be replaced by eviathan pieces
OF mechanism. that moved with automatic pre-
cison and almost human intelligence Notwith-
standing the wonderful achievements or invent
I've skill toward reducing tho COS; Of American
world there stood before thr iron producer the
rnenacing. growing. threatening. unconquerah''
spectre Of cheap European labor. The margin
81 home favoi.i til" A:doria an. but abroad. he
,ond the reach of paternal tariT schedules. it
favored tie English iron trade. Labor-saVing
machinery had apparently reached tho lirsit OF
,ossihiltirs ard Yankee shrcwdncss seemed
banied for the time
While matters were in this condition il was
rumoreJ that two mysterious men. Andrew }.
Swift and Alonzo Cutting Western millionaireS
were dipping extensively into iron 'nanufact-
ures The trade was profoundly ignorant oil
their plans or purpose. for the strangers were
exaspcratinriy rct:ccrt. Clauson, the fcnnsyi i
vanian who had hitherto dominated tn" IRON
world OF America, confessed himself some" ha'
disturbed and puzzled over these unexpected
operations He was inclined to regard thrin a.
Inc reprcsc natives Of a British syndicate. Inc
time was oprortune for such investmonts-he
had recognized that fact long ago. In his he
half trusted agents had been for some TIN"
secretly negotiating for the purchase o. the
Putsburg Iron and steel Works. Certain OF hls
place AS the only possible purchaser In the
market nc had rather held back III his n"Sot'a-
lions. bding the hour when a more advantage
GUS figure might be obtained. He was confident
of his game -overconGIcnt The Pi;tsburg
plant was admirably located to secure rail and
water transportation facilities n: tho minimum
Of handling and rehandlinG. Its holdings almost
monopolized the choicest locations.
Like most capitalists. Ciausou was conscrva-
lively slow in Rig Investments Yc' the consum-
nation meant much 10 him that it would
seem as though prudence would have moved
him not &c baggle.
One June day he was rudcly awakened from
this self-saiisied security by brief telegram
from his Pit;sSurg agent. /; read
Hiram CIauson Philadelphia:
Pittsburg Companys plant sold to-day 10
Swift & Company. Price unknown.
SAMUEL. BLACK
What tho devil do thosc rascals want OF the
plant? Who arc they? What are they about
muttered the old capitalist, hall in rage. half
In astonishment as hc rang for his secretary
Take a telegram. Mr Jones" said the mag
nate.
Jones, scno, clcrky appearing man. took a
seat on the opposite side OF the desk ana took
down in shorthand:
Samuel Black Pttsbure:
Proceed at once TO JohnstOWn and ascertain
price Of Moorcs plant Take option a. any price
under two hundred thousand. Invcstifat" swift,
f. Cutting. and al viSc ne to their future
plans. Act IN both matters Immediately.
Put that il cipher. MI. Jones. and take it Ia
Che Western Union Office yourself" ordered
Clauson.
Black:
Have met Swift, & Cutting. They purchased
the Moore plant at Jonnstovn IA week age.
They have several similar properties in Georgia.
They have to-day purchased two plants adjoin-
ing Pit,sbure Company's works Have pur-
rf,rl,, sf.,l.. rl,s'S