The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-06-14

pouring in upon us at prices ruinous TO the Ameri-
| can manufacturers; and the result is, that many
mills have already suspended operations from ne
cessity, and thousands Of laborers are deprived of
! employment Their late customers, the railroad
companies which brought them into existence, find
ing they purchase foreign IRON cheaper than the
American, naturally looking to their interests,
have abandoned them, and il is known that orders
| for English rails, TO the value of S5,O00,O 900 are
now gone abroad from the Eastern States alone.
The dependence of this country upon the fluctu-
atoms of English prices for iron, of necessity in
wolves the existence of this branch of Amencan
and. pre-eminently Pennsylvania industry.
We believe this evil to be directly traceabe to
the operation of the American tariff of 1896 which,
when the price is high abroad, increases the duty
on imported iron 50 per ton for every advance of
! $40, and no protection is wanted; and when the
price is low, diminishes the duty SO for every fall
of $40 per ton, at time when the greatest protec-
ton is wanted. Or, in other words, encourages
| the domestic article, by an extra duty, when no
encouragement is required; but when prices are
ruInousy low, invites the Importation of the foreign
article, by diminishing the protection on the Anne
rlcan.
1t is therefore apparent that under the operations
of such a tariff the price of iron must be subject
TO the greatest possible fluctuations-at one time
making II so high that II cannot be imported al all,
when, by its scarcity, American enterprise, de-
ceived by the phantom of prosperity, is enlisted in
It's manufacture, and for while capital and labor
become probably employed at another time, maxi
ing il so low that American capital is endangered
or lost, and American labor becomes unemployed
by the stoppage of mills, furnaces and coieries 4"
1t is the duty, therefore, of all interested in the
production of IRON and coal in this State seriously
to inquire whether policy so fatal 10 departments
of oar industry, essential to national prosperity and
Independence, will be persevered in under circum-
stances so different from those existing when the
present tariff became law The General Govern
ment cannot be nsensible to the representations
which It is our duty Pennsylvanians, as well as
| manufacturers and miners, to make, should it
withhold any remedy in its power tending to anne
llorate the evil and injustice bearing GENEROUSLY
on these highly important branches of domestic
industry Harrisburg (Pa.) Telegraph.
THE VOYAGE OF THE JOHN CATER.
We noticed yesterday, says the Baltimore Pa
trot of the 18th inst, the profitable quick voyage
which the barque John w. Cater had made from
New York for San Francisco. The Journal of
Commerce has the following fuller and interesting
account:
The Cater was the first vessel with cargo, after
the conclusion of the treaty with Mexico, that
~.
and consequently was the first vessel that took out
coastwise clearance for California. Pursuant to
his instructions, Captain Hoyt went directly TO his
destination, touching at no intermediate port. The
vessel on her voyage round never lost a spar or
split sail. She doubled the Cape in the Christ
mas holidays, which there is the most favorable
season of the year. She was spoken on her tenth
day out, and thereafter was never heard from till
advices were received of the sale of her cargo and
of her clearance from San Francisco for Oregon
Her cargo, which was large and well assorted ,,will
nett the.owner over one hundred and fifty thousand
dollars profit. Every article was in great demand
and rapidly sold Immediately on her arrival with
the exception of dry goods, with which the market
was already well supplied Cooking stoves that
cost SO sold for $50 On many articles of tin
the percentage of profit was about the same
The vessel retained her crew. and proceeded on
the 18th Of March to Oregon, to load lumber for
the San Francisco market.
At he time of the Caters departure, nothing
definite was known of the golden treasures in Cal
forna. The substance of what has transpired
relative thereto, was comprised in two letters orgi-
nally published in this paper; from our regular
correspondent, Mr. Cotton then Alcalde of San
Francisco, the other from Mr.. Larkn, U, s. Gov
eminent Agent at Monterey. BY the way, it may
be stated that Mr.. Larkin is now the weahest
man in California. Valuing his real estate at San
Francisco, at what ii worth there at the last
adNlceS, ne would be doubtless the richest man IN
North America. The statements of Messrs. Col
ton and Larkin, respecting the mineral wealth Of
California were received with great distrust and
suspicion. Ii was thought that they had been de-
ceived by land owners, and other settlers, who
interested in diffusing information calculated
to produce increased emigration from the United
States. Indeed, so little credit was given here TO
the gold stories, that the Cater, offering excellent
state-room accommodations for passengers, carried
out only two and those in the second cabin. But
we suppose that Mr.. Wood reposed entire conf
dence IN those representations based upon an int
mate knowledge of the parties from whom they
were received and we are glad to know that it has
been amply justified by the result.
We announced the clearance of the Cater, on the
18th Of last October, in the following paragraph
The bark John w. Cater, cleared Yesterday at
the custom-house, coastwse for California with an
invoice some three yards in length and over $40 900
in amount Her cargo would supply very ex-
tensive country shore, comprehendIng almost every
line of business known To our merchants How
much " further West will our people 90 in search
Of new fields Of enterprise