New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1844-03-02
Iron and Railroads.

under the lowest duties, while causes arc now IN
operation which will reduce it essentially within
few wears. Every years experience will be
bringing Coal and Iron Ore into nearer pro1imi-
ty by new discoveries of each, will be smoothing
the roads to market, perfecting and simplifying
the processes of production, and thus reducing
the cost. The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, for
instance, will probably in two years he completed
to Cumberland. where deep strata of Bitumenous
Coal and Iron lie one above the other in the ex-
posed bank of the River We have not doubt
that if Foreign Iron (save such varieties as we
cannot produce) were entirely prohibited, our
Country would be supplied more cheaply within
five years than it ever was or ever would be un-
der Free Trade
But let US compare prices The following ia
bic of wholesale prices in this market has been
made out at our request by heavy Iron Mer
chant whose integrity is beyond suspicion:
Wholesale. or Cargo Prices.
1889. 1910. 1S4l. 1842. lS43 1914.
SHS: is7 s:s2s ss : s.5
Sheet Ds 1t e1nmoa: S' SIS ''.a
Scotch Pig Iron. sssas 35ss7 s5,s7 S6a27 2!a25 80
NoTE.-The present price of Scotch Pig Iron is
high, owing to the very short stock in market. a
decline is expected on the arrival of supplies.
The other prices are considered the fair wholesale
prices at the respective dates. 0.
Such is the extent to which Protective Tariff
is now taxing our People on their Iron. But
even this does not tell the whole story. Our
FORCES and rolling mills are not on our seaboard
but generally in the interior, and often in loca-
tons with difficulty accessible from the coast
But while they are so costlyt convey to the sea-
board they are so far the aray to the interior.
IT, therefore, it appeared that Iron we're Is per
cent higher in New- York when homemade un-
der Protection than when imported under Free
Trade, it by no means follows that it would cost
our People in the average tarthing more, even
in money price; for the Iron actually made at
Pittsburgh or Peru, in Tennessee or Missouri, at
given price, must be sold here ten to thirty per
cent. above that price to pay transportation.
Admit that, if the Tariff were off, Bar Iron
might be bought at $40 and Pig at $50 per ton
delivered in New-York, while our own, under
Protection, would cost $50 and s25 here, we have
still to see whether the transportation Of the
Foreign article to the various points of the inte-
rior where the Domestic is produced would not
raise its cost to full equality with that OF the
latter
But we could not buy what we want at any
such rates as $40 and $40. Take off the Tariff,
and many ofour FORCES and furnaces would give
up at once, and an immense increase of importa.
ton would follow This wosld raise the price at
the British FORCES and the price of transportation
aso for though few tons may be taken as
ballast to satnets and gauzes at a nominal rate,
ten thousand tons would not be brought over at
any such prices. Wesee now that the increased
demand for goods, owing to the improved condi-
ton Of the country, has produced rise Of fifty
per cent. in Cutlery and a corresponding rise in
most other articles which are not produced or
riysled here and it cannot be doubtful that a
similar rise in the cost of British Iron would fol-
low the abrogation of the Duties upon it.
We trust, therefore, that the Senate will take
testimony and deliberate before it gives its sane
ton even to the bill reported by Mr.. Evans pre-
venting the importation of Railroad iron duty
free. We perceive several objections to the pas
sage Of such bill In the first place. when we
had such an exemption once before, it was made
by our adversaries a matter Of reproach to the
Wings that the Iron of rich corporations was
admitted free of duty, while that In the poor mans
axe and log.chain paid heavy duty. Wretch
ed demagogueism as this is, we would prefer that
it be disarmed by allowing any such legislation
TO originate with the Loco-Foco House
But we doubt the policy Of any such excep.
ton at all. In the first place, it is morally i'm
possible to prevent its being made a pretext for
smuggling. The law may say, ever so pointed,y,
that this exemption is to affect only Iron actually
laid down on Railroads. but who can be sure of
any such thing? Then rails are sometimes Ia
ken up and sold on legal process, or otherwise
what an opening for evasion and collision is here
Besides, the exemption will be likely to raise
the price of Iron in England more than it reduces
it here. And why should it be made :? We are
as Jealous in favor of Railroads as any can be;
but why legislate for this special case7 We are
sure that they will go on fast enough ii the Coun-
try is only prosperous even if Iron is higher and
the way to keep it prosperous is to keep our PEG.
pie in work We do not believe even Railroad
Iron will long be higher by reason Of the Tariff,
True, we are told that Railroad Iron is not made
here and will not be, but we know better. If it
were not for fear that the Protection will be over
thrown, it would have been made here in greet
quantities ere this, and it will now and very soon
if Congress decides to let the Tariff alone and the