HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Herald, 1909-01-01, Page 7STEEL NEEDS
NO P OTECTION
Andrew Carnegie Gives Evidence
Before Tariff. Committee..
Cost of Waking Steel Greater .in
Britain Then In States.
International Agreement Prevents
Importation of Steel.
Washington, D. C., Dee. 28. That the
steel industry of the United States has
neahhed a. point where it does not need
i prof ection, but can stand alone in com-
petition with the world, was the fea-
1 tare of the testimony of Andrew Car-
'negie to -day before the Committee on
.I Ways and Means of the House of Repre-
• eentatives, which is securing evidence
designed •to assist it in the preparation
of a new tariff bill,
The Laird of Skibo kept the com-
mittee and the audience in constant
' laughter •by his ready retorts to the
questions asked him. ±Ie would not
deal in figures, claiming. that the more
• figures used the more the subject would
become "befoggled." He said he placed
no trust in figures given by interested
parties. He judged by results.
A GENIUS AND A LOVABLE MAN,
Mr. Carnegie characterized Mr. Schwab
as a genius, and Mr. Gary as a most
lovable man, but a very shrewd one. He
figures used the more the subject would
not be reduced if the tariff was lowered
or removed entirely. He was utterly
, opposed to an income tam, believing, as
he said, with Mr. Gladstone., that such
r a tax produced a nation of liars, Mr.
Carnegie testified in support of the
• st retements . that he nrr de in his ma•ga-
zine article, declaring that •the steel in-
dustry needs no protection. Mr. Car-
negie interspersed his testimony with
]Tumorous remarks. He suggested that
Congress should extend a vote of thanks
to Dir. Schwab for his work in improv-
ing the mnethods of steel making. "r
never met his equal," said Mr. Carnegie,
f'and when we were partners we were
a great team."
MONKEY AND THE CHESTNUTS.
Speaking of the testimony of Judge
Gary before the committee, Air. Car-
negie said: "You should not place any
' coal value on the testimony of interested
parties. Judge Gary said that the
' United States Steel Corporation could
stand for e, reduction in the tariff on
• steel, but that the smaller steel mann-.
facturcrs could not survive with lowered
•duties. That- is like one of Aesop's
fables. Judge Gary is like the monkey
who desired the chestnuts, but wanted
the cat to pull them out of the fire."
The former steel magnate said that
Tudge Gary has used an annual state-
' rent showing that the United States
Steel Corporation had made a profit of
$158,000,000, which, he said, equalled a
profit of $15.50 a ton on all steel pro-
' ducts.
Mr. Carnegie avoided direct replies to
questions as to whether the cost of
r producing steel at the present time as
given by Judge Gary and Mr. Schwab
.was oorreot. "Mr. Schwab's estimate of
the, present cost is based on entirely
different ideas than hie estimate on the
cost'i"n 1899;" was all that Mr. Carnegie
would say.
HIEN LIKE SCHWAB.
Replying to a question, Mr. Carnegie
etecl#ired that the removal of the duty
on steel would not necessarily affect the
!prime .because Europe could not suecess-
: fully compete with the American pro-
` duet. He said also that if the figures
given by former witnesses were abso-
lutely correet, steel stock would be sell-
ing far below par. Mr. Carnegie spoke
of the difficulties he experienced with
i directors ignorant of the steel business.
"I gradually bought them out and got
mens like Schwab around me, and we
made the cheapest steel that has ever
been made."
"You have been out of steel some
tame," said Mr. Payne; "can you tell us
where we can get the figures on the
present cost of making steel?"
"I dont know whether you can get
the figures," was his reply. "If a judge
was interested in the cause you would
not respect his decision, would you?" he
asked, referring to the steel manufac-
turers who have appeared before the
committee.
ORE SUPPLY NEAR EXHAUSTION.
Mr. Carnegie' asserted that at the
rate at which iron ores are being ex-
tracted the supply would be exhaust-
ed in forty years. He based his state-
ment on the best expert• opinion he
could obtain, he said, He also said that
'England would be in the same condition
in seven years.
The testimony of Judge Gary was
frequently referred, to in the questions
asked of Mr. Carnegie. Reference
was made particularly to a statement
that the duty on steel could be taken
off so far es the Steel Corporation is
could obtain, he said. He also said that
this portion should be accepted by the
committee.
"Judge Gary has summarised the
facts for you," said Mr. Carnegie,
"end I should depend on them. He
has told you that they don't need the
duty. If the cost of steel rails hat'.
ilncreased abroad as it has increased
hero you will find Judge Gery's state-
ment quite true and that he could stand
free trade."
"Judge Gary has testified,: that the
price is as high abroad," said Chair,
peen Payne.
"Then, doesn't that show that , ,you
1 have nothing to fear from free trade?'
was the prompt rejoinder.
Mr, Carnegie • insisted in reply to
questions that the railways were not
paying too much for steel rails. The
steel rail makers, he thought, were
making a fair profit.
Mr. Carnegie said the cost of
manufacturing steel is greater in
Great Britain than here. He said
that the committee should send ex-
perts familiar -with the steel industry
to the large mills of Europe to study
the question of comparative cost of
labor. "They will be received by the
foreign manufacturers with open arms,"
he said.
Mr. Carnegie pointed out that there
is practically no foreign -made steel
imported into the United States.
Other parties were not ,exporting here
because they have an international
agreement.
AN INTERNLTIONAL COMBINE.
"That is a question you should ask
of those interested in it," the witness
replied when asked if a combination
of the English, German and American
steel manufacturers exists.
"I do not know, but I have heard
it stated that there is such a com-
bination," continued Mr. Carnegie. "I
think it is highly probable, I would
not be telling the whole troth if I
said that I did not think that there
was such a combination."
"If the Prices of steel were fixed
by this combination in London would
that affect competition here?" was
the next question.
"It would, of course, prevent cora-
petition here," replied Mr. -Carnegie.
"Do you know of any combination
to fie the price of inplate interne-
tionally: " asked Mr. Hill, of Connecti-
cut.
"1\o." .
"Do you know of any combination
to fix the price of wire nails?'
"No," Mr, Carnegie replied.
Representative Bourke Cockran, of
New York, asked. Mr. Carnegie many
questions regarding his advent into
the steel business. In the course of
his testimony about the conditions ex-
isting at that time Mr. Carnegie said
that he would not have gone into the
steel manufacturing business without
the tariff for protection.
KANGAROO MEAT.
New York Dealer Has Imported
Two Hundred of the Animals.
New York, Dec. 2.8. --To be in the
fashion this Christmas it will be neces-
sary to order kangaroo at a hotel din-
ner. Two hundred of these animals
were imported to -day by a large game
dealer of the •city, and they are to ap-
pear on the menus of the leading hotels
and restaurants' on Chrietmas Day and
New Year's litve,
"We have tlrenn in every size," said
the dealer last night, "front two to ten
pounds, and expect to receive: another
consignment the tail is the greatest
delicacy, but every cut of a kangaroo
is good eating. They taste much like a
snnall cub bear.
"'.Ghee have already been accepted as
part of the regular fare on special occa-
sions in Paris and London, and as soon
as a dish is sen'ed at the Carlton you
may be sure we shall be asked to sup-
ply it here."
In addition to these, for the true
gourmets, who long for the unusual. the
dealer stands prepared to furnish 25
wild boar, 28 hear; 300 German hares,
averaging eight pounds apiece, and 5,000
of the rabbits which scourge Australia.
•ev
CASTRO'S RULE ENDED.
Vico-President of Venezuela Has
Formed a New Ministry.
Port of Spain, Dec. 28.—Vice-President
J. Vineente Gomez. to whom Gen. Cip-
riano Castro handed over the Presidency
on his departure for Europe, has estab.
liaised a, new Government in Venezuela.
He has replaced the old Ministry, the
leader of which was Dr. Jose de Jesus
Paul, the Minister of Foreign Affairs,
who has been the one figure, outside of
Castro himself, in the negotiations that
culnninated in the ousting of Minister
de Rens and the severanoe of diplomatic
relations with Holland., with a new body
of men, who represent arious factions in
the State, and who have figured promin-
ently in various ways in the political
history of the country.
ALLEGED SMUGGLER CAUGHT.
Windsor Man Who Crossed River Ar-
restod in Railway Yards.
}Windsor, Ont., despatch: Charles De -
peau, of Windsor, whom the United
States immigration officers say is con-
nected with Adam Hoffman, a former
inspector, in a conspiracy to smuggle
Chinese across the border, was captured
early this morning in the railroad yards
of the Pere Marquette by Inspector
Ege. Dessau crossed the river in a car
ferry with a companion, and when Ego
poet and tried to question 'them, both
tools to their heels, but were quickly*
halted by a revolver shot.
WANT EMBARGO REMOVED.
Londoners Would Fight Beef Trust
With Canadian Cattle.
London. Dec. 28.—The Canadian Asso-
ciated Press learns that With a view to
defeating the plans of the American
beef trust 'the London, Market Letter
Committe a a recent meeting resolved
to take each ateps. as flight be thought
desirable to influence the 13oard of
Agriculture to remove: the restrictions
on Canadian store eattle.
TURN OUT - LIGHTS.
(Montreal Power Company Serves
Ultimatum on City.
Montreal, Dec. 2S.:h1n ultimatum
has been presented to the City Council
by the Montreal Light, heat & Power
Company, They 'state that unless the
new contract or modus vivendi, bind-
ing the city to make payment for the
cperation of lamps, is made for the
street lighting of Montreal before
January lst the Power Company will
turn off the current • at midnight on
the night of .December 31st.
At the conclusion of a lengthy meet-
ing of tha Power Company directors
at noon to -day a letter to this effect
was drafted and sent to the City
Council. The company points out
that the city charter expressly pro-
vides that no payment can be de-
manded for services rendered to the
city unless under terms of a vote duly
and' formally passed by the Council.
They also make the plea that they are
not at fault, and in their letter say
"we wish to draw the Oity Couucil's at-
textion to this fact, so that if we are
compelled to discontinue the service on
January 1, 1909, the citizens will under-
stand that it is not through any fault
of the company."
What the final outcome of the con-
test between corporation greed and
civic bungling will be is an uncer-
tainty.
END 9F ROMANCE,
Stormy Atlantic Robbed Utah Man
of His Sweetheart.
New York, Dec. 28. -When the . big
liner Baltic arrived to -day from one
of the mst tempestuous voyages of
her career, Chas. C. Clark, of Eureka,
Utah, learned that the woman he had
waited years to . wed had died while
crossing the ocean to join him in the
home he had made for both. The
girl, Miss Priscilla Hewison, of White
.Haven, England, was stricken with
peritonitis soon after the ship sailed.
So rough was the sea that the ship
surgeon found it impossible to per-
form an operation, and after two days'
illness, death ender her sufferings.
Neither the young woman nor her
brother, who accompanied her, had
money to defray the cost of burial
ashore, but several first cabin pass-
engers, learning of the romance which
had come to so tragic an end, made
up a liberal purse, .and arranged to
have" the body brought to New York
for burial.
Clark and Miss riewison had been
childhood sweethearts, and when he
came to America several years ago
she promised to wait until he had
made a home and then to ::come to
him, They had planned to be mar-
ried before Christmas, so Clark came
all the way across the oontinnet to
meet the young woman and take her
back to Utah as his wife. Instead
he and the dead girl's brother will be
the chief mourners when her body is
laid in Hensico Cemetery on what was
to have been her wedding day.
a.a
FIGURES OF VOTE.
How the Provinces Went in Do4ion
Election.
•
f;.
Ottawa, Dec.. 28e -The Clerk of the
Crown in Chancery* made public to -day
the following figures as to the popular
vote in the recent election. The returns
for British Columbia aro •ineomplete:
Province. Lib.
Ontario , . .. .... .. 224,821
Quebec .. .. .. , , 158,393
Nova Scotia s. ... 48,434
New Brunswick 40,716
Prinee Edward Island 14,496
Manitoba .. , .. 28,196
British Colmnbia
(int.) .. .,. .... ..
Alberta . , .. . , .. . .
Saskatchewan .. ....
3,514
15,505
27,221
Con.
236,019
129,364
47,015
34,045
14,286
34,890
5,493
19,290
19,883
Totals .. .. .. ....574,356 542,685
The popular majority thus would be
31,671. less the Conservative majorities
in British Columbia, The total vote was
1,117,061, plus the British L"oitimbia fig-
ures.
In 1904 Sir Wilfrid's popular majority
was 48,708.
TELEGRAPH FRAUD.
Unearthed by Western Union in
Western States.
Portland, Ore., Dee. 28. -An investi-
gation by the Western Union Telegraph
Company, carried on during the past
six months, is alleged to have disclosed
an orgainzed system of flim-flamming
railroad operations our the Pacific coast
by which. 'the telegraph companies and
thousands of their patrons lave been
robbed of several thousand dollars.
Numerens complaints received that
messages had never been delivered
aroused the 'Western Union officials to
act. A secret service was organized
and it was discovered that in some in.
stances over sixty per cont. of the,
messages filed at i'silroad offiees where
operators jointly handle the commer-
cial b11013, s ef , the : telegreple .-coma
pany and the business of the railroads
were transmitted and all records of
the despatches were destroyed.
Following the discovezy of the theft
and 'the accumulation of proof, war-
rants were obtained for the arrest of
several operators in the State of Wash-
ington, and it is alleged by officiate
that at leasl one of the arrested inen
has confessed.
BATHS IN FIRE
Young Boston Machinist Proves
Himself a Human Salamander.
New York, Dec, 28,—A despatch to
the Tribune from Boston tells of the
marvellous psychic powers of Fred E.
Foskett, a young machinist, who gave
an exhibition before Prof, James, of
Harvard, and a number of well-known
physicians. Foskett proved himself a
.human salamander, Fire seemed to
have no effect on him. He held lighted
sulphur matches to his fingers, and let
the Barnes from an ordinary coal oil
lamp curl about his hands.
As a climax he poured a quart of
alcohol into the basin, lighted it and
then washed his hands, bathing them
for nearly ten minutes in the burning
fluid, washing it up his arms and on his
face --literally bathing himself in blaz-
ing alcohol. A soon as it was finished
the physicians present examined Fos-
kett, and they could not find the slight-
est trace of a burn or blister.
In a subsequent test, Foskett, dema-
terialized, seemed to dissolve into thin
air as those present watched him. After
forty-one seconds, he nnaterialized again.
WITHDRAWN.
North Ontario Townships Not Open
to Prospectioa.
Toronto, Der. 28,- Alt the lakes in
four townships in Northern Ontario, in -
eluding Gosvganda Lake, have been With-
drawn from prospeetion by an order in
eonueil of the Ontario Government.
Around each body of water a strip of
land 66 fret wide has been reserved to
permit mining operations to be carried
ori from one shore by those who subse-
quently acquire the right to develop the
lakes. The townships which are situat-
ed 50 miles northwest of l.`obalt and 20
miles west of James Township on the
east bank of the "Montreal River eontain
144 square Bailee of territory; -within
this area are many lakes. Among the
larger are Gow'ganda_, six miles long;
Obuskung, Wigwam; Everett, Miller,
Bloom and Levy. The townships are
Heultom, Nicol and two unnamed dis-
tricts of the land. About two-thirds is
staked out on mining claims.
NAGLE'S NEGLIGENCE
Blamed For the Fatal Collision Near
Pembroke.
Pembroke despatch: The adjourned
inquest in the case of the C. 1'. R. col-
lision, one mile ea;t of Pembroke, on
Dcc. 3rd, was rendered here to -night.
The eerdiet rendered by the jury was
that the death of Engineer Rowe at
Ottawa was due to the collision of light
engine 312 and train No. 78, and that
ithe said eolision was dee to the negli-
1 genre of Engineer Nagle, on engine No.
312.
it was shown he left Cobden at 7.20
a. rn and passed Graham's at 7,39. He
had only^ix minutes to run nine miles,
and in attempting this was negligent.
Mr. J. Ii lietr'alfe reprcmen•ted the
('rows. Mr. Williams the C. P. R., and
'lir. Burritt and Mr, W. R. Stafford En-
gineer Nagle.
4-m
BUNRED TO DEATH.
Eghteefi Mouths Old Baby Fooled
Dead by Its Mother.
Montreal, Dec. 28,---:1u eighteen
nenths' old child of Mrs. A. Prevost, of
St. Iienri, was burned to death this
morning. The mother went out to a
hear -by store acrd left her three young
Children alone in the house. She was
absent only a few miunte , but when
she returned the foiled her eighteen
months' old daughter lying in front of
the stove dead. The child's clothing
was partly banned and the flesh was
in places ehnnred, but death had been
eaused mostly by shock.
WHERE ALL WOMEN VOTE.
Reason is There Are No Men Left to
Dispute Their Rights.
Leaden, Dec. 28.-- ell women have
votes in the village of Korisowa in the
north of Euagary, The reason for this
is that there are no men left to dispute
their right.
The male population has gradually
emigrated to America to seek their for-
tunes, says the Vienna Tagbtatt. The
last to leave was the Mayor. The women
thereupon elected a good looking girl
of 24 as their chief magistrate, and also
appointed a woman town clerk and a
council of two.
I.iow the Adaamkees Eden will progress
under feminine rule is a matter which
is watched with keen curiosity by the
neighboring'• villages:
ARREST OF
LDER' ? EN
Seven Pittsburg Councillors Under
Serious Charges.
Former Bank President and Cashier
Also in Toils.
Charges of Corruption Against
Aldermen—Worse May Come.
Pittsburg, Dec. 28. -Following the sea-
sational arrests here last night of seven
Councilmen and two bankers on charges
of alleged corruption in eonducting,the
public affairs of this •city, it is intimated
to -day that even more startling develop-
ments will transpire to -day or tomor-
row.
In the meantime the people of Pitts-
burg are surprised almost beyond de-
scription at the suddenness of the arrest
of the nine men, who ere well. known.
During the night the nine defendants
and their attorneys and friends held a.
number of conferences, while :he o€fietals
of the Voters' League, who worked up
the charges against the defendants, tpge-
ther meth attorneys and muute:pa1 orti-
cials, also held a. meet,ng,,,at which it is
said plans were perfected for the arrest
of other men aeleged to be implicated.
in the bribery. scandal.
Attorney .a.. Leo Weil, President of the
Vetere' League, stated to-Uay: "This is
the be.gmntng. The end is not yet."
Following arc the men itemised: Coun-
eilmau Wm. Brand, John F. lilein, .1. C.
Wasson, T. 0. Atkinson, Jacob Soffei, W.
11. Delaney and Hugh Ferguson, Fortner
President W. W. Ramsey and foriner
Cashier A. A. l'il a"ck, of the CGeerman
National Bank, are also accused.
Information against all the seven mem.
bers of Council charges thein with con-
spiracy, corrupt solicitation, and bribery.
.An additional information against
Brand, Wasson and Klein charges them
with bribery and corrupt solicitation.
From Braun, Wasson end Klein bail
in the sum of $30,t00 each was demanded.
The bail of the other four members of
the Council was fixed at $15,000.
While all the defendants were taken
by surprise when arrested last evening.,
each secured the necessary bail, which in
the aggregate amounted to $178,000.
Char. A. lagan, Vice -President of the
bank, in a etateanent issued early to -day,
announced that the directors, immediate-
ly on hearing of the charges against the
officers mentioned, had ordered their
discharge from the institution. The
bank, the statement added, was in no
way affected.
All the informations were sworn to
by Tensard De Wolf, secretary of the
Voters' League, and formerly a political
writer on a local paper.
Robert Wilson, superintendent of the
Municipal League of Scranton, Pa., is
described as `"the man behind the gun."
Mr. Wilson, assisted by a corps of pri- •
rate detectives which he brought to.
this city from Scranton, gathered the
evidence against the defendants. It is
explained that for this reason the en
tire matter was investigated without
the least publicity. The Pittsburg po-
llee were not consulted until yesterday,
when it was desired to make the ar-
rests. Then Mayor Guthrie, Director
of Public Safety Lang, Superintendent
of Police _McQuaid and other civic offi-
cials, inet in the public safety building,
~there Mr. Wilson, his detectives and
members of the Voters' League laid the
evidence before them. Previously some
of the best known attorneys in the city
had been consulted, and pronounced the
evidence sufficient to cause the arrests.
Immediately Mayor Guthrie ordered the
arrests and the private detectives ac-
companied by eity detectives, rounded
u:p all the defendants.
Mr. Wilson says the Voters' League
is back of the prosecutions, and it is
the intention to make Pittsburg as
clean as Scranton is to -day. In mak-
ing Scranton so, Mr. Wilson said promi-
nent men committed suicide or were sent
to the penitentiary for long terms,
Concerning the case against Ramsey
and Vileack, of the German National
Bank, Attorney Charles A. Eagan, vice-
president of the bank, issued the follow-
ing statement: "On last Saturday, af-
ter banking hours, the attention of the
Board of Directors was directed by the
National Bank examiner to the fact
that a charge had been made of the
improper use of money to secure the
selection of the German National Bank
as once of the city depositories. This =.n -
formation came as a gerat surprise to
the members of the beard. It was deem-
ed advisable, however. pending a proper
investigation, to secure the resngnatlone
of Mr. Ramsey, the president, and Mr.
l'ilsack. the cashier, they being the offi-
cials affected by the charge. This wars
done."
The seven councilnnen, it is alleged,
"did wickedly, corruptly conspire with
each other and with divers persons un-
known to secure the passage, by corrupt
and unlawful means and by bribery of
the members of the select and common
councils. of Pittsburg, ordinances and
resolutions."
The accused men will be given a pre-
liminary hearing before ltiagisirate
Brady to -morrow morning at 10 o'clock.
LOCAL, OPTION WON.
Vette in Manitoba Was Very Favor-
able --Only One Repeal.
Winnipeg, Dec. 28. -=The final len ri-
ming up of the recent voting on total
option shows that the veto carried in,
sixteen out of ttventy-fourmunn.►.icipal-
ities,, and out of ten . where a vete fee
repeal was talon only one wtus snaeesa-
ful, and that wa,s in,l(iildon4n, where the
Winhipeg rote defeated. textpteentsa