Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-10-21
Reaction From Tariff
Stimulation in Ohio
Town.
ADVERSE TO LABOR
In Spite of Growth in PopuIa-
tiOn in Year Activities
Decline.

Cleveland. Ohio Oct 21.-This city
has suffered more than any other large
center in the United States from the
unnatural industrial conditions stimu-
lated by the Dingley tariff law, and not
tempered by wise forethought concern
ing future possibilities AS an index
To this fact it may be stated that Cleve-
land increased its population during
the last II months by probably 25.O0O
people, which would normally mean a
very preceptible development of its
| business, Yet the bank statement just
! issued for the week ending oct. 13,
1904, shows that the clea-ings were
| $l3,026,3GI less than for the cores
| pOnding week of last year-a net de-
crease of 1873 per cent.
! If one today should take a walk
along the extended stretch of mills
| and factories situated on the lake front
iof Cleveland, he would find it to be an
Ialmost invariable rule that from 10 to
/ 40 per cent of the usual number of en-
! !plOyees is either laid off entirely or
| working on short time. An even worse
condition of affairs will be found at
! INeWDurgh, across the river. where the
! immense local plant of the United
States Steel corporation is situated.
! Go, also. into the retail stores here in
| Cleveland and it will be found that
trade is practically stationary in spite
Of the large accretion of the population.
Retailers are buying only small stocks
for future trade. and the utmost con-
! seryatism governs their very action
Many Steel Mills Idle.
! The most typical situation in Clcve-
| land is that of the mills of the steel
trust. The Newburgh plant was for
merly the backbone of the American
Steel and Wire company. Twelve
thousand men are employed there un-
der normal conditions. There are two
rod mills, two Bessemer plants, two
boomers. two furnaces and an open
! hearth furnace.
Prior to the summer of 1904 these
great mills had run continuously for
more than three years. defying the usu-
al precedent of closing down for re-
pairs or for the comfort of the men in
the most heated part of the summer.
But nearly every one OF the mills
closed down in the spring of this year.
and the fires in many of them are still
! banked. Thousands of men were thus
| thrown out of employment. Even when
The mills started up again a few weeks
| ago there was Il practically horizontal
cut in the wages of all employees of
! from : to 10 per cent. This was a most
| serious matter to men who had been
out of work entirely for several
months.
Inquire for an explanation of the
| idleness of these mills and the reply
| will be, lack of demand" The fact
! is that under the protection of the tar
! in law, the steel trust has been able
! to push all its prices up to such d dig
| ~ figure that all except the most ur-
gent demand has been killed OF So
| vital to American commerce is the steel
/ industry that this fact has caused a
retrenchment all along the line in
other trades. And yet all the time the
steel trust has been selling it's product
| in Europe at a reduction Of from 20
! to 30 per cent of the price charged
| American consumers. This is making
| the people here do some earnest think
ling.
Other Mills Going Slow.
But the steel trust is not the only
| large corporation whose employees are
suffering because Of the failure Of high
protection 10 produce an enduring
boom" The Brown Hosting Machin-
cry company, one of the largest es-
Establishments Of it's kind in the world.
! is itself running on very greatly re-
duced time. lt usually employs from
| l 900 70 800 men. At the present time
not more than 600 or 700 are work.
ing
One Of the mills Of the Lake Erie
Iron company is entirely without work.
The Cleveland Shipbuilding company.
the King Iron Bridge company. and
IOther such very large concerns are all
being operated on a materially reduced
schedule The Crescent Tin Plate com
pany, which employs G75 men. was
shut down all summer, and has only re-
Gently began operations. and with a
smaller quota Of men.
Banks Reducing Interest Payments.
a striking index Of the conditions
now existing is 10 be found in the bank
ing situation in Cleveland. lars,
number of new banks and trust com