The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-03-19
Steel TARIFF CUT
MEANS LOWER
WAGES
PAYNE SCHEDULES ALTOGETHER
TOO DRASTIC, MAeNATE IN.
sIsrs--LAuoHs AT STORY OF
HARRlMANs RETIREMENT.
&c. VI. sCHwAB.

The proposed revision OF the tarin
schedules Is most drastic as FAR as IL
& Affects steel" declared Charles NJ.
Schwab, president of the Bethlehem
5 Steel Co. and former president OF the
United States Steel corporation. IN
his private car, the Loretto, Thursday
morning. He inumated quite plainly
that q reduction In the tarin on steei
would mean d cut in wages, asserting
that. In the last analysis. labor Is real
" the chief element that enters into
the cost OF manufacture.
Mr.. Schwab Is in the city as the
+ guest OF the Board OF Commerce, anu
\ addressed that body on Current
. Events" at its monthly acquaintance
dinner In the Hotel Cadillac, Thursday
+ noon. He arrived In the city over the
Grand Trunk at GAS. T. II. Simpson
and c. W. Baird, representing the
Board OF Commerce. were early callers
and after breakfast with Mr.. SchwaD
and his party, took them on tour OF
the city.
ssThe steel schedules should have
been left alone, and / so told the men.
pers of the committee on ways anu
means Of the house when | appeared
before Them" resumed Mr.. Schwab'
"Of course congress can make the
tariff as low as it pleases, or can take
Il on altogether. as long as manulac'
turers can adjust wages TO meet those
reductions, but the larger users OF
steel are not asking any reduction III
the tariff on steel. The price Is low
enough. they tell us. They are salts
ned with conditions as they are.
AS an argument for the continual
ton of the present schedules, Mr..
Schwab pointed out that the wages or
steel workers have been steadily In
creased for the past 10 years.
Mr.. Schwab was reminded that the
position he took was directly opposed
TO that of Andrew Carnegie, but he
refused TO be drawn into any contro-
versy with the great steel king.
Won't Quarrel With Carnegie.
my relations with Mr.. Carnegie
have been so close and nave SO
great a respect for the man, VINO mas
been almost like a father TO me, that
would not take issue with him on
any subject" he said
In discussing the wage question Mr..
Schwab told OF visiting the steel mills
in Belgium and seeing women wheel
ing coke to the blast furnaces. II was
evident that this was meant as an IL
lustration OF some CT the conditions
+ the United States manufacturers
would have TO combat in the event OF
reduction of the steel schedules.
However added the steel mag
nate "the influence OF a reduced tariff
would be felt less by the manufacture
ers In the west than by those in the
east because the former would be pro-
tected by the freights. On the sea
board the competition would be
direct
Mr.. Schwab said he knew OF no COM
bination among the Independent steel
manufacturers OF the country. such N
has been rumored.
"The first | heard of such thing
was In Buffalo last night from a news
paper man." he said.
Reference to the report that K. III.
Hartman Is about to retire from active
business brought smile to Mr.
Schwab's lips.
Says Hartman Won't Retire.
"Mr. Hartman isn't built that way
he said His mind is such that II
would be impossible for him not 20
MANI lito -innuthIC ACiA III ihO WCAAo
OF finance as long as life lasts"
Mr.. Schwab himself once retired,
but Is back In the saddle again. rs
active captain of industry as in the
days when he guided the destinies of
the steel trust.
Personally. Mr.. Schwab is a prince
OF good fellows. He has most agree
able presence and faculty OF making
his visitor feel perfectly at ease. He
is fluent speaker, very democratic
in manner and in conversation merry
twinkle usually turks in his eyes,
though determination is plainly visible
in every feature. He is big man
physically and mentally. and his gen.
eral appearance is that OF man who
has made the most OF life. A liberal
sprinkling of gray hairs speaks Of
advancing years, however.
Mr. Schwab made only a fleeing
reference TO his reported gambling
proclivities.
II notice that one OF the papers
mentioned something about my play.
ing baccarat," he said. II don't know
anything about that game. Sometimes
I play hearts"