Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1846-08-22
The Tariff on Iron.

There are those who know but little and care
less about the operations Of the tariff, who ask
whether 30 per cent is not enough on pig iron
Thirty per cent. on the present price, il Is true,
would be sufficient TO enable our iron men to
carry on their operations successfully. The pre-.
sent price Of pig iron at Liverpool is about $50
per ton. Thirty per cent. duty would be Sc.
Freight commissions, &c. would bring the price
mp to about $50 per ton. It is the Huctuatng
uncertain ad rnhrem principle we complain or
II diminishes the duty when it is necessary it
should increase. For instance, 30 per cent. on
the present price Of iron in Liverpool is SC. But
suppose the price should fall BY som. revu's'on
in the markets, (Which has frequently been the
case,) to $40 per ton. then 30 per cent. on the
price would he s3--add, say 81 for freight, com.
missions, &C., would make it worth, at New
York or Philadelphia sl7 per ton. These prices
would stop every furnace in Pennsy ylvana. But
make the duty Sc specific, it would then remain
permanent and not be affected by the fall of pr.
ces in England.
In relation to this subject we copy the follow.
ing sensible remarks from the New York Tri
bune
"The ad ralorcm principle Of lcvying du.
ties diminishrs The Protection erarfly in the
ratio IN ,chich il poud seem 10 be necessary
Haf IL should be increased A Pennsylvaniau,
we will suppose, nscertains that he can make
Pig Iron tor just 20 per ton more than the low.
est cost of making it in England. Now make
the duty s. or So per ton, and you assure him
'ha, lIe can live in spite OF any Furcign compe.
tition. But make the duty 30 per cent. and YOU
render il certain that whenever his need of Pro-
lection shall be greatest Just then the Pro'ection
afforded will be least. II may be $40 per ton
when he dent need any; i! may be less ,hrn 81
when his nccess ty or more is most imminent.
That some Pig Iron will be made in this
country under thirty per cent. duty is quite
certain; so there would (lhoueh a less quant
ty) under no duty at oil. OF course. the men
who 20 mske it would realize profit on H. else
they would abandon the business. But in our
view ofthc case, their profit is quite an incidrn.
tal sId secondary consideration what we deem o
matter of National concern is the diversified.
tion o| our Industry as Substantially 10 sup
ply our omn panis from our oun resources, 80
far as Nature has interpostd no insupersble OBJ.
stacle. This is the doctrine Of that school on
this subject which was caIi,d Democratic when
led By GEoRGE CLINTON and ID. ID. ToMpxINs,
but now s,igmatized as Federal II is now sixty
years since George Clinton. before we had a
Federal Constitution. and when Free Trade was
disastrous necessity of onr un. National cond:.
ton, called the attention of the Legislature ol
New.York to the necessity Of governmental &C.
tion on the subject in the following words:
THE dangers which we so lately experien need
by dependence or Foreign supplies ef IRON
and Gunpowder Ought 10 awaken onr prudence,
and put Us on our guard against even,s. howev.
er distant and unfmeseen. Our country abo,,pds
with materials for carrying On these ,nanufac.
tures to the utmost extent, and We must disco-
ver want Of policy and Of vigilance highly in.
excurable If we neglect the obvioue advanta.
ges which Providence hath 50 kindly placed
within our rcach.'"