Mississippi Democrat., 1845-04-30
Number 20.
WHY RAILROADS WHICH ARE WANT
ING ARE NOT MADE.

ING ARE NOT MADE.
II is curious fact, that dozen men,
who happon to be in possession Of largo
amount Of capital, can hold back tie whole
country in its Enterprises. There are, We
suppose, about twelve men in this country
who make railroad iron. On ihoir &C.
count tribute Is laid upon all the railroad
iron brought into our ports, n tribute which
puts severe encouragement upon tho
construction Of railroads. For ihoso
twelve men the country stands still, and
they who would at this moment be occu-
pied in building railroad from this city
10 Albany and another to Lake Erie, were
the price Of railroad iron what Il ought to
be, have nothing 10 do bu. TO wait lor q
modification of the tnrid.
Railroad iron can be obtained IN Eng
land nj $23 so ton such VIC arc inform
cd is the price at which the Harlem Rail-
road Company have tho opportunity Of
contracting for it. The duty is twenty
five dollars ton, and when we add to
this the charge Of freight and transporta-
lion on commodity the bulk and weight OF
which is so great proportion to its cost,
the advantage in favor Of the American
manufacture is enormous. No subjects
Of any absolute prince in Europe; no
inhabitants Of any pashails under The
Grand Sultan are taxed as we are taxed
for the sake OF dozen men in this coun-
try who manufacture for railways,
Not long since, the president Of one of
the railroads in this country made appli-
cation TO the various makers Of railroad
iron, with view Of efleciing contract
for a supply. He found that tho lowest
terms he could make with them was 500
a ton, nor would they bind themselves 10
deliver the iron at that price. Thus by
the operation of our moderate and benef-
ca tarifF, as Mr.. Clay calls ii. rairoad
iron is made 10 cost in this country nearly
three times the sum al which il is furnish
cd 10 the constructors Of railroads in Eng
land. More than half the difference Of
price goes into the pockets Of the Ameii-
can manufacturer of whomiti Is purchased.
Ii would be cheaper 10 give these men
pensions. II they are to be a charge up.
on this county lei us cast about tor the
| .~n,. n,.,, ~ ,,,,;col ,nn,ho1 nf uuunnYtiu,,
ms ,iaoss =; eo ons,ras, e. ~, ~ rpsnnS ana;,S5
"e,n .,1 - Iv'n'' s' .s ~, H. w. laa'. 49, Z ,a",
-, "vI,a "a;,,SaJ op; ;san % and liz h;oh ra,os oe Az
ond I binh ratas u of Gaiah, nn ,ailrooJs W.
sbould S s a;vo dozon ,oon courorlaIIe ~.
pends for life, and relieve the enterprise
Of the country. The shareholders in tho
railroads would doubtless be glad 10 bear
their part in tho expense. They would
probably be even willing, # the manulac.
turers 81 railway IRON were oper 10 such
an arrangement and II II were certain
that Congress would recognise The bar
& lin 10 buy oil these dozen manufacturers
by paying them liberal annuity. They
might then come before Congress and say
--"We have provided for your favorites
We have made their fortunes, and there
is no necessity 10 resort 10 taxation for
their benefit, or 10 trouble yourselves far
thcr on their account; LET Us now have a
low revenue duty on the commodity which
you have hitherto taxed SO enormously
The freight and passage alone on rail-
road iron amount 10 about three dollars
and thirty cents ton, which is protection
Of about fourteen per cent p The Ameri-
can manufacturer. Add TO this the other
expenses Of bringing il INTO the American
market, and superadd very moderate
areveDue duty, and the projection is am.
pie enough to satisfy any but very un-
reasonable protccticnist. ~ Y. Paper.
4 te --------------------------
| PnoTEcTios. One Of The cniei char
acterstics Of the protective policy, 70 the
taking and foclnatlng garb IN walch = y