The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-10-19
MIR. OWENS FOOLISHNESS.

To the Editor of The Journal:
S. M. Owen, who has returned from Eng
land says to the Journal that 1.-The own
ers of great steel and iron manufactures
there were simply knocked OUT when he
submitted statistics and interesting details
as to the ore mines of Minnesota. 1t
is no wonder they were knocked out by
what Mr.. Owen told them, If he is cor
rectly reported by the Journal. 1t is
wonder they recovered at all. He says
they thought he lied. To say they thought
is probably a mild euphonism induced by
90. Owens shrinking modesty. They are
not entirely ignorant of the mining con-
ditiOns of Minnesota. They have not the
reputation of believing all they are told.
Mr.. Owen said to them, among other start
ling and unique fairy tales, that we have
gravity descent from the mines to Du-
luth docks, and our ore cars run for 60
miles without steam, using only little en-
gines to head back. Why, then, are the
locomotives in use on Minnesota ore roads
the largest and heaviest built in America?
also I submitted facts which prove, con-
clusively that it costs more to pump the
air into their Cleveland district mines than
the entire cost Of mining our ores This,
he adds, was a staggering blow. It could
hardly fail of being such to any mans
reputation for sanity or veracity. If
they'd believe that they would swallow any
thing
Mr.. Owen, referring again to his shocked
and trembling friends the leading Brit
ish steel makers, lover the marvellous
growth of the iron and steel industry of
America, especially of the Northwest they
recognize that the northwest has entered
into serious competition for the iron trade
of the world" etc. Now, l regret to say
that we have no steel and iron industry in
the Northwest, not yet, though we live in
hopes and probably the largest manufacture
ers in Britain, with whom Mr.. Owen swap
ped stories. are still doing business at the
old stand, and haven't trembled very much
yet over the competition of the North
west. The only thing that bothers them
in connection with the iron ore mining of
Minnesota-nOt it's unborn iron and steel
industry-is that it's mines are too far off for
them to draw upon to keep their own works
busy as they would like to have them on
cheap ores.
DWIGHT E. WOODBRIDGE.
Duluth, Oct. Z.
Mr.. Owen realizes that he is politi-
cally dead in both the Populist and
Democratic parties. He tried to serve
the Democracy by turning our member
ship over to them but even then they
would have nothing to doewith him;
and now it looks as if he was about to
cooperate with the Republican party.
The claim of that organization is that
we are in the midst of unbounded pros
perity, and now Mr.. Owen comes back
from Europe to brag that We have de-
veloped an immense steel industry in
Minnesota, which far excels anything in
the old world, and as Mr.. Woodbridge
shows in the foregoing article, there is
not a word of truth in any such state.
ment.
He will soon be preaching that Popu-
lists should vote the Republican ticket
on account of the great steel industry at
Duluth, and because we "all think alike,
and it makes no difference what banner
we march under"
Pc is a very unsafe adviser He is
ambitious to be leader. without the
sense that is necessary in leader.
n