The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-10-20
TARIFF LAW
IS BLAMED Ed:
Has Depressing Effect Upon.
Business in the
West.
CLEVELAND is SUFFERING.
Steel Plants Idle and Other.
Mills Are Going
Slow.
CLEVELAND is SUFFERING I 4 g!
! Slow.


Especial II to The Times Dlspatch.)
CLEVELAND, o., October ly.-Thls city
has suffered more than almost any other
large center in the United states from, the
unnatural Industrial conditions stimulated
by tile Dingley tariff law, and not tens
7,ered by wise forethought concerning flu
turc possibilities. AS an index OF TINS
fact it may BE stated that Cleveland IN
creased its population during the last
twelve months by probably 45ooo people,
which would normally mean Il very pel-
ceptible development of It's business; YET
the bank statement just issued Tor the
week ending October 10, 1904, shows NAT
the cearlngs were $l3, ,Sbl 4. less y 'l''.tl
for tho corresponding week OF asst %year--'
a not decrease Of 1873 per cent.
II one to-day should take walk along
the extended stretch of mills and factories
situated on the lake front OF ClcVciana,
he would find it to be an almost lnVarl'lpie
rule that from ten to forty per cent, o.
the usual number of employee IS either
laid off entirely or working on short llrle.
An even worse condition of affairs VIII De
found at Newbl,rgll, across the riVef,
where the immense local plant OF inc
United states Steel Corporation Is stu
ated. Go. also, into the retail stores mere
in Cleveland. and it viii be found that
trade is practically stationary in spite or
the large accretion to the population,
Retailers arc buying only very snin'
stocks for future trade and tie utmost
conservatism governs thnir every 1o 't'''i
Many Steel Mills Idle.
The most typical situation in Cleveland an.
is that OF the mills Of the steer trust ~. -.
The Ncwburgh plant was formerly INC
In cl,bone Of the American Steel and WIRE
connanv. twelve thousand men arc. en-
Moved there under normal conditions
trhcre arc two rod mills, two bessemeI
plants two boomers. two furnaces anu
an open hearth furnace. g, ], I, Y,
prIor.to tho summer of 1904 these great
mills had run continuously for more t,lAn
three wears, dcfyng the usual prsctae 81
or closing down for repairs or J or tiis
comfort OF tho men IN the most i.e't. ~
M ri Of the summer. But nearly every one
- tle mills closed down III the spring
or This year, ana the fires In many OF
them arc st,lI banked. Thousands OF men
were thus thrown out or employment
Even when the mills started uN AGAIN q
few weeks go, there was nrac.icalS
horizontal cut in the wages o. ~ en-.
ployes of from seven 70 fteeil pet ce'..,
'rhis was a most serious matter 70 men
nc lad sbeon out OF work entirely for
several months. ,,,o
INQUIRE for m explanation of the id'c-
,,css of those mills and thereby VIII pc'
| "I,ack Of demand The fact IS ina w
der tho protection Of the ,hrill la" ~. :.
Steel Trust has been able 70 ptls' -, - ~
prices MP to such n dizzy l'su.o .'.'t -,
o nxcert thc most urgent demand has been
Killed Killed off. So vital to American com o. =,
,,,orce is Tie steel industry that ms inct
l,ns caused "a retrenchment al ,.alnng lne
4 Inc in other trades. And vet all the time
the Steel Trust has been. selling us pro.
! duct IN Europe Mt a reduction OF .,n ,ao
twenty to forty per cent, ''r ST. !, - =
! charged to American consumer = 10 !,
n MAKING The people here do some earnest est
! thinking