New-York daily tribune., 1845-04-24
Railroad Iron. etc.

The Morning Ne,cs, with an engaging inno-
cence which is that papers most delightful charac-
teristic, thus discourseth:
TIE TRisuSE ON RAILROAD IRoS.-our amabe neigh
Dor commits Itself sadly In Its yesterdays sheet the
subject Of Railroad Iron. 1t discourses as follows:
Here follows our article of Monday: then pro-
ceeds the News i
Now has not the Tribune yet heard OF the great rise
which has lately taken place in the price Of Iron in Eng
land founded the great and growing demand both for
Railroads and for y other purposes for which Iron Is
fast coming into use, such ships, houses &C.? The
present price OF rails, charged by the only establish
which makes them in this country, Qhc Mount Sa
vsxe Iron works) Is sos ton. Some months ago the
o engaged deliver them at S65 but since the rise In
England they have put the price to Ss5 refusing TO de-
liver for anything else.
ironasers want Of protective duty at all when English
Rsroad Iron will cost $780, and they "turn 1t out at
contract" at less price than 500?
The establishment have referred to could deliver
few months ago at S65-they now charge $50 more
though tho rise OF price in England cannot surely affect the
coat OF their processes OF manufacture what do they
want then. of Protection? {?
This late risc In the price OF Iron will produce good
eEoet viii deprive the Pennsylvania Iron interest CT all
ground for asking for any Of the exorbtan Protec
ZION" they have heretofore been enoyng-a great point
gained.
6 Has not The Tribune yet heard of the great
rise in Iron7' Why, dear innocent! that was the
very truth we had been under the necessity Of
teaching, first TO the Evening Post and then TO its
: bsetle-headed follower in Buffalo, each of them
insisting that we might buy Railroad Iron aa hbtum
in England for $25 ton, but for our atrocious
Wing Tariff, when in fact we could not buy it in
Liverpool under $50. And il is on this fact, that
the British price fuctuates with the demand, being
under SIS a ton and the next we know above $50,
that we based an argument in favor Of protecting
~ opIc
ultimately from these extravagant fluctuations, or
at least securing the benefit of the high prices,
when they must be paid, to our own people.
Now says the News, we have but one establish.
mentthat makes Railroad Iron, and that will not
contract to deliver any under S95a ton, thought i,
was recently willing 10 do so at sos. All this may
be srue: And what then! Of course, one estab-
lishmeat canno! make all that is required for this
Country, and if il has orders for more than ii can
supply, it will advance its price. But why is it
that we have but one Rai-making establishment
in the Counryl Is ii the fault of the present Ia
riff, which secures efficient protection to the busi-
ness. or Of the ten gears admission of Railrood
Iron frse Of duty. which only terminated within
the lasttwo years. Had this important branch Of
Industry been steadily protected since 1924, we
should now have, not one but nearer one hundred,
Railmakiag establishments, competing with each
other and bringing down prices 10 the British stand
ard. And even now, had il been settled bare
year ago that the Tsri was to be e. alone for ten
years, we should have had twenty Reil-makins ss-
tablishments in full blast before this time. But
there has been constant succession of efforts 10
oyershroyv the Protective features of the Tariff
generally, and the duty on Railroad Iron has been
special target of hostility. In consequence, Capi-
ialists have b-en deferred from investing in bns-
ness likely TO be exposed in its infancy TO the full
weight of unchecked Foreign rivalry, andso broken
down; Ger Transportation ayails nothing, when
Bars can be sent from Lyerpoolto this port cheaper
than from one in len Of the Iron Works in this
Country Half Million Dollars is required TO
erect and put in operation good Rail-making es-
.sblishment; and the constant dread of Loco-Foco
onslaught on the Tariff prevents almost all from
rising so much money. And yet good Rails can
oe made here for $50 ton, were so last year.
and viii be cheaper within year after il is get
tied that the Tariff is to stand in the main as it is
Even as things are, considerable preparations for
Ra,i-maklng are row going forward.
The News, like the Post, aiways reasons like
the Congo vio!inist, who insisted tha, when il
raiaed he could not FIX his lesky cabin, and when
il don rain il do MT need no fixing" So Rail
road Iron be low IN Europe, tha. proves the alb
saIdisy Of Protection, which cor,peis US 10 pay a
higher price; and if the prce be high in Europe,
j, is demonstrated thai We need no Protection.-
Nowwe aycperfectly willing 10 cenceds that Iron
Of all SORTS might be made IN this Country with the
present prices abroad, without the aid Of any Pro-
tective duty whatever But whe willguarantce the
continuance Of such prices for even six months I
What prudent man would invest his means is the
Iron manufacture upon the contingency Of such
prices being maintained Manifestly. none.
Now the considerations which should govern an
enlightened National policy are but remotely sf-
fecied by the fact that A. or B. is doing well OF
dong i'll under any existing Tariff. 1t isncs for
tiae sake Of A. OF B. that we demand Protection.