The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-09-10
From the Danpilie (Pa.) Democrat.
The American Iron Interest,

The importation of British iron for American
railroads is becoming very general. We observed
the other day paragraph, stating that the UNI
berland Valley railroad from Harrisburg to Cham
bersburg, is about to be relad with imported rails.
This road runs through one of the best iron regions
of Pennsylvania
Even IN the West, foreign iron is imported large
y. The Louisville Courier says that almost every
steamer from New Orleans brings more or less rail-
road iron for the Lexington and The Louisville and
Frankfort railroads The directors of one of these
roads have purchased 2,440 tons Of foreign iron
Tennessee is suffering in her iron interest from a
similar cause She has, to considerable extent,
been driven out Of the New Orleans market by
shipments of Scotch pig IRON. Maryland has her
full share of depression and loss also in her iron
interest.
We are well aware that the opponents of prolec-
ton will say that this is all right and that if for
eign iron can be land down in this country at
cheaper rates than our own manufacturers can
make II tor, is to our interest TO import IL. The
argument on this point, and its refutation have
been often repeated that it would be useless 10
discuss the question here. One thing, however, is
clear, VIZ: that the national policy in reference to
this subject ought to be one thing or another. If
there is TO be no protection, let it be said and
understood. But it is unworthy of great nation
to pater with the interests and the industry Of its
people, and while pretending to reality, to shuttle
of with mere mockery
Under the tariff of l842, with fixed duty, our
iron interest arose from prostraton, and fourished
all over the country. For it is the happy LOT of this
land to possess, almost every portion of its terri
tories, large and rich depostes of this most valuable
of metals. With the tariff OF 1876 came an nd
uatorem duty, contrived with banefu ingenuity To
rise when the price of iron in Europe is so high
that it cannot be imported here and when no pro-
lection is needed and to fall the price falls abroad
and when lmportatons poured into the country
under those low prices render protection indispen-
sable.
When the tariff of 1876 was adopted and for
some time subsequently, the immense Consumption
of iron In Great Britain for railroad purposes kept
the prices so high there that manufacturers suf
fered nothing from the change Of tariffs The case
now, however, widely different. The railroad
mania in England has subsded, while the large
production of iron, stimulated by il, continues to
so on, and thus large surplus is constantly on
band TO be disposed Of in our markets 1t comes
:" tn. place g L--li~s,, ---A
ireights, across the Atlantic.
Now, if the duty of thirty per cent. under the
present tariff fixed duty fair minimum
vauation-if ii were really and truly what it pur-
ports 70 be, reliable duty, steady and unvaried-
then manufacturers could calculate with some
certainty and conduct their operations accordingly.
But the present system, yielding protection when
1t is not wanted, and denying protection when II is
essential is Of ali systems the most tantalIzng, de-
ceptIye and ruinous.