The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-12-22
CARNEGIE:
Jokes
STAND
PAT TERS


Washington. Dec 22.-Andgew Car
negie famous for the millions he
made in the steel business and for
his Views on economic questions, was
an entertaining If not instructive wit.
ness before the house ways a1- means
committee on the tariff yesterday.
An article ON the tariff especially
relating to the steel schedule. written
by MI Carnegie, recently appeared in
a monthly magazine Owing to the
statements made in that article 1t be
came the basis for the questions ask
ed by the members of the committee
at hearings on the steel schedule.
AS the testimony OF various steel
manufacturers was at Variance with
the statements made by MIR. Carnegie
the committee Invited him to give
any information the committee could
use. AS Mr.. Carnegie declined to ac-
cept the inv ,'ion he was subpoena
ed. Mr.. ca sgie was TO have been
heard nearly two weeks ago but ask
ed for a pcstponement. inciiently for
the purpose OF having tne committee
secure the testimony Of other steel
maenates first
Although he was on the stand for
nearly eight hours. Mr.. Carnegie
| laughed and joked good-naiu-edly
throughout He exasperated several
OF the "stani-pet,ers" with his cpl
! grammatc replies, praised tho genius
| OF Charles NJ. SchwaD, urged the com
| mittec to accept the testimony Cl
Judge p II. Carr AS conclusive. and
| told several funny Stories He avoid
ed figures. however. 10 such an ex
tent that It Ia doubtful If the taril
! trainers are any more enlightened on
! the steel question than they were be
| fore Mr. Carnegie was sworn in.
Mr. Carnegies prncipal contention
was that the steel industry needs no
more protection; that 1t has reached Z
point in It's development where the
American manufacturers can competd
with the lNorll UNI Ter free trade con
ditions While he claimed that tho
Iic0st OF labor and productioI4of stee
are less in this country than in the
other countries producing stcel, Mr.
Carnegie gave no figures to suppor
ais contentious.
He said Judge Gary told the con-
mittoe that the United States Stee
corporation can get along without
/ tariff on It's product and that should
be sufficient evidence for the commit
tee to take Off The duty on steel an
iron.
Mr. Carnegic's testimony was mos
unique and interesting, and he FIRE
duently caused much laughter, Ia
joke often being at the expense o
the chairman or some other membe
OF the commission. He declared enl
phatcally against combinations. o
trusts" and said he had nothing I,
do with the sale of the Carnegie Stee
company to the United States Stee
corporation lie characterized th
stock gambler" as bclng the wors
citizen country could have. and sal
he neyer had one associated with hit
In business.
Mr. Carnegie dealt largely In tn
ores anl reductions. stating that q
was merely expressing his own opii
ion. I'm his testimony when z vare
from that OF Judge Gary and NJ
Schwab.
He said that these two gentleme
were truthful but were interesto
witnesses and the committee shoul
Z not place too mucn stress on figure
supplied by Interested witnesses
He evidently enjoyed the crossfire {
/ questions put to him by both Repui
I lican and Democratic members of IN
committee. but frequently eXpresse
regret that he could not crnss-exan
Inc the members of the committee. II
I seemed to devote his efforts to nal
Ing Chairman Payne aud Repsesenti
, tives Dalzell and F'ordney uncomfo
/ table. Q