New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1843-10-04
The Tariff and Railroad Iron.

The Tariff and Railroad Iron.
There can be no doubt that for many years TO
come, the construction of Railroads IN various
parts of the United States will be prosecuted, II
not as rapidly, quite as certainly and far more
safely, than it has been for the last ten years.
The business of the country demands the means
of speedy communication between different sec
tons. We fervently trust that the AMERICAN
SYSTEM, in its broadcast extent, IS about to be es-
tablished on permanent basis;-that the guar
dianship of American Industry, the encourage
ment and protection of American Labor, and the
developement, in all their length and breadth, oil
the resources of our country are about to be re-
cognzed by the American people as the duty of
their Government, a duty paramount to all minor
obligations and not tn be postponed or shutfied
aside by any of the tricks of demagogues and
aspiring party men. One of the first and most
certain results of this will be more frequent and
perpetual intercourse between the different portions
of the country; and hence will spring necessity
for Railroads in every part of the land, which Will
increase and become more urgent in proportion to
the advance and increased activity IN the business
Of the country. Our people will build railroads.
therefore, hereafter even more extensively than
thew have done heretofore and it becomes
matter of interest and importance to know where
we shall procure the materials for their construc
ton. Every mile of railroad requires from eighty
to one hundred tons of IRON: and this can be FUR
nished at a cost varying from $4,000 TO $4,000.
Shall we make it ourselves. or shall we look 10
foreign nations and pay into their treasures In
IL no1o
than several millions year
We devoutly hope that, in this az in all other
respects, we shall aim at an independence of al
foreign nations and produce within ourselves
that which we need for our own consumption. TIL;
testimony of men most conversant with the sub
;ect proves beyond reasonable doubt that iron,
the immense IRON mines OF Pennsylvania, Vir
einia, Maryland and New.Yor may easily b,
procured all the iron can possibly need, eithe
in this or any other department. In this respecl
as in so many others, the resources of The country
are well.nieh boundless: al they need is a fuI,
aud free development. That, the existing Tariff
gives them ard we trust that no efforts lom .ri,
quarter VIII induce the coming Congress to al,e.
or repeal its provisions IN this respect. Previous
to the enactment OF the present Iafltf, Raiiroae
IRON was cot protected. We were forced 10 looe
abroad for all we needed and, what is worse
our own Establishments gave up It's manuiac-
ture and lost to great extent the ability to sup
PIX the existing demand. This was the effect o.
the Tariff of 1882, which removed the du.y o:
Railroad iron. Previous 20 that there had beer
duty upon ii of SS7 per ton and uude- il
cpera,;an the manufacture had become vigorou.
end extensive, and would very soon have supplied
the wants Of the whole country. In 1881 anc
1882 it was IN It's most prosperous condition II
the former year it had increased from about l3l :,
600 tons. the production of 1928, TO nearly 1872, COO
and the Iron masters of England entertained ane
expressed serious approximations that the rapid IN
crease iron establishments IN the United State
would soon shu, them from our market entirely
When the duty was removed m 1882 The manu-
facture rapidly diminished and we were ohllges
again to!ook to foreign market Our own irol
masters TUNED their attention to other branches
to the manufacture of other articles, and fioodee
the market with other descriptions of Iron, Whit
wewere forced, during the most critical period o
our financial embarrassments, 10 ship specie in I'M.
1nense amounts to Europe 10 pay for the iron W.
needed for our roads. In 1886 and 81 alone. th
irnpor.asions OF Iron and Steel amounted to up
ward Of S24,aa0,000, and within the last sever
years there have been introduced into this coun-