The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-09-25
THE BETTER METHOD.

There can be no doubt that the Bryanites
who make ofice-seeking vocation-which
includes Mr.. Bryan himself-are greatly
disappointed because the representatives
OF large number Of iron manufacturers
and Of the Amalgamated Iron and Steel
Workers, labor organization, have agreed
upon wage-scale for the next year A
and resulting violence would promote the
interest of the party whose leaders are now
devoting themselves to an effort to create
i'll viii and jealousy between employer and
employe. 1t was difficult for the two in
terests in the production OF iron and steel
labor and capitalize agree upon a scale.
because the prices of all the products OF
iron mills have so materially declined since
May June. Very naturally, the repre-
sentatives of labor held for the highest
prices. while the mill-owners sought to OBJ
tain scale considerably lower in antici-
patton of declining prices. But finally both
sides made concessions, and the final agree
ment recognized the fact that wages, the
largest item OF cost in the production of
iron and steel. must fluctuate with the mar
ket price of the goods. The intelligent iron
workers who recognize this fact will not
be influenced by Mr.. Bryans eloquence
designed to create i'll will between them
and their employers. The whole matter
has been discussed and satisfactory
agreement reached. Because the operators
of the bituminous coal mines and the rep
resentatives of the mine workers got to-
gether in this city last May and came to
an agreement about wages there Is no
trouble at the coal mines in Indiana, Illi-
nois, Ohio and other States. Because the
mine operators in the anthracite region will
not recognize the representatives of the
workmen there is suspension, loss in money
and probable bloodshed. Because the en-
| ployers and employees in the building trades
| in this city made a scale of wages work is
| going on prosperously; because they could
not get together in Chicago a whole season
| has been lost.
1t may be added that the foremost iron
| manufacturers signing this agreement,
| which put 10000 men at work yesterday.
are members of combinations of plants
| sometimes called trusts. These combina-
| tons are in no sense monopolies, because
| independent manufacturers are competi-
1 tors and can prevent the making of ex-
orbitant prices if the combination was dis
posed to do so. Because Of scarcity of
| iron year ago prices were put up. and put
| up so much as to check consumption. The
| men In the combinations were the first to
| see this and cut prices. A year ago steel
| bilIets sold at S3S ton; now they are sell
| ing at $3.50. There has been about the
| same relative decline in pig iron. But
| there can be no monopoly in any product of
| steel and iron; the fact that the large pro-
| ducers have made price for labor fixes
| that price for all outside competitors.
| The agreement referred to affects most of
| the iron mills in Indiana. Such being the
| case, Mr.. Bryans visit to the gas belt to
make votes by attempting to array one of
the two great elements in production
against the other may not win votes for
| the champion of 50-cent dollars.