Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1908-03-03

There are according to the reports to
the railroads 100000 cars and hun
dreds of engines idle whereas a year
ago there were not enough to carry the
freight offered. Such an enormous
shrinkage of business on the railroads
is a pretty good barometer Of business
depression elewhere. Another indica-
lion of business stagnation is the iron
trade, which only produced little
over 100000 tons of pig iron in jan
nary compared with 100000 tons in
october. But as a trust controls the
iron industry It is no longer reliable
as trade barometer as it used to be.
The steel trust, in spite of the falling
off In the demand for It's products, has
determined to maintain prices. Before
the organization Of the steel trust the
price of iron and steel was gagged by
supply and demand, and in Zines. of
business distress the price of steel pro-
ducts followed closely the price of other
commodities
Importations of merchandise at New
York have dropped - per cent in Jan
uary as compared with December.
There Is also curtailment of produc-
ton in nearly all industries from 20 to
25 per cent, and declines in values of
10 to 20 per cent in many manufactured
products. Economy is prevalent and
many workmen are out of a job.
These are not pleasing facts, but 1t
is no use to conceal them in looking for
not much revive until the process of re-
adjustment Is completed from the
changed conditions from the boom
times to present liquidation. The great
trusts are fighting against this read
justment and are straining every nerve
to hold up the price of their products.
They probably know that this effort re-
tards return to prosperity, for lower
prices are needed to induce greater con-
sumption. but being protected by the
tariff they can compel the people to
still pay the price of prosperity with
out participating in it.
The managers Of the great trusts are
all Republicans; they lave been fos-
tered by Republican tariff legislation
and they desire to keep the Republican
party in power. To reduce the price of
their products they would have to low
er wages, and that just before a ma
tional election would be likely to lead
to disaster to the party which protects
them. They, therefore, prefer to run
their business on half or one third time
than to increase their output and re-
duce prices and wages. They hope to
control their workmen by keeping them
os half time better than by more work
and reduced pay.
There is one redeeming feature that
appears to offset these discouragfng
facts. The prices of farm products con-
tinues fairly remunerative, so that
whereas there is much poverty in the
cities, there is plenty on the farms. 1t
is appalling to think of what condi-
tons would now be if there had been
a crop failure the past year of any OF
tie leading agricultural products. The
whole country is now leaning on the
farmers. and those who look ahead for
signs Of the times are ixing their gaze
on what the promise Of the next crops
will be. both here and abroad. for good
or bad crops will decide the business
future of the GENTRY for the next year
ar least
Meanwhile the trusts and other tariff
protected interests are bleeding the
farmers at every pore. for no one else
can afford to buy trust products in any
quantity on account of higl. trust
prices. If the present Republican Con-
gress had revised the tariff so that the
protected monopolists would feel the
competition from abroad. the farmers
at least would be saving millions
month which is now absorbed by the
trusts. II you want to know what IS
going to happen keep your eyes fixed on
the weather map and the farmers.