The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-08-21
senate--Tarir Of 1s4s--Iron Interests.

Senate--TariR of 1s46--Iron Interests.
Mr. CooPRR said thai he held in his nand nu-
merous memorials from eitizens residents Of several
counties IN Pennsyivana, praying for a modifca-
ton of the existing tariff laws signed BY over two
| thousand persons Ths petitioners set forth that
there IS great distress prevailing every where
throughout the State, especially among those en-
gagged IN mining coal and The manufacture of iron.
! From evidence that had b-en furnished him, he
could STATE confidently 10 the Senate, hat nearly
one hall OF the number OF furnaces that we're in
operation m Pennsylvania at the close Of 1647 have
now blown altogether in consequences of the In
adequacy of the prices TO be obtained for iron The
production il now less ihan One-haif of What il was
az the time 10 which he had referred although per-
haps more than majority of the whole number of
furnaces and fOrges may be still in orsFatinn he
still would say confidently, that one half Of the
+ quantity of iron is produced which was pro-
\ duced at the period mentioned. The consequence
Is, that very large number Of people who derive
their subsistence from labor in the furnaces forgeg
and founderes of the State are now out Of employ
ment, and many OF them in a state of absolute des-
ttuilon. The consequence of the dmiBntion in
The production Of iron is not felt among those en-
gagged IN thai department. Of industry alone, but is
ieli also, and that severely among those engaged
in mining coal and other industrial occupations
I 1t is known to the Senate that In late years a
very large quantity OF anthracite coal has been con-
sumed IN the furnaces and forges in operation in
the eastern part of the State The demand for coal
for this purpose, has fallen off within the last two
years nearly, if not altogether one-haIf and the
consequence Is that those engaged in that branch
of our industry in Pennsylvania are out of employ
| ment, and to great extent without the means of
subsistence. They cannot take themselves 10 other
employmelts, for the men who are engaged in the
/ manufacture OF iron and the mining Of coal have
been brought up to that particular branch Of bust
ness it IS their trade, and they disqualified
f. for other occupations.
But there other branches OF industry de-
pendant upon protection, to extent upon
protection Tor their success which have also gone
down, or have greatly curtaed their operations.
This is especially the with the recently estab-
hshed cotton-mills and manufactures Of PennsyL
vana. He presumed the Senate was aware that
during the last two or three years, lsgge number
i OF cotton mills have been erected and have gone
into operation in that State. They have lately in
great measure ceased operations-some of them
entirely and others partially ly-and the consequence
| is that the people formerly employed in manufac-
turing iron and mining coal cannot resort to the
cotton mills, nor to agriculture for the means Of
subsistence for the first he had stated lave to
considerable extent gone out of operation, and the
markets for the latter have been largely diminished
by the reduction OF the production of these articles
of iron, coal and cotton fabrics, to which he had
referred.
There is, therefore, the memoriasts state, a
degree of suffering prevalent among them which
has not existed at any period within many wears
past-not even in 1912, previously 10 the passage
Of the act known as the Tariff Act of that year.
| They pray Congress thai some modification of the
present act may take place at the present session.
They do not ask for the repeal of the act of 1886
| but they ask that what was the intention of the
trainers of that may be carried into effect and
| that they may have such protection as il was de-
signed TO afford at that time They state that,
| owing TO this condition of affairs at home and
abroad, the provisions Of that act sufficient at the
time, ceased TO be at present. and for sumo time
past; and they ask that Congress may take up the
subject and put them in the position in which it
was designed 70 place them At The time she act OF
1916 was passed They set forth many faets that
are important 10 every SenaiOr and memherof Con-
gress desrous 10 make up a correct 1udgement on
the suhject bu5 he would not deiain the Senate
now with recapitulation of all that IS stated IN
the memorials and 10 the letters OF lutelligent
| gentlemen accompanying them. II was sufhclent
10 say that the state Of things existing abroad, es
pecially on the continent OF Europe, has brought
down the price of iron in England 10 potut lower
than has ever been before. except on one single
occasion. He did not think that il was Necessary
to advert to them, for it would be at once under
stood TO what he Referred namely, the revolutions
there, The abandonment of the eontracts for making
railroads, with which the whole Continent was
cheekered over.
This state of things has obliged England 10 sell
her iron at these low rates, and great amounts Of
have been thrown in upon Iron is manu-
facured there at S22, S23, S24 S25, s26 and s27
per Ton, according 10 qua Ivy, ard sent here, thus
breaking down our establishments, and taking en-
? oymenI and bread from the American laborer.
The memOraiisis STATE hat, If this CONDITION OF
things prevail for great while, there viii be a
| general eessanon Of operations ia the iron manu-
actures of this country except in certain favored
ocalities and that the consequences VIII Be that
! all competition between the foreign and domestic
producer will cease, and that, eventually, III the
: course of a year cr eighteen months, consumers
will be Obliged 10 pay mere TOR the IRON used by
e them than they would do under duty which
would affjrd insJ protection 10 the domestic pro-
! ducer The history Of tie iron MANUFACTURES OF
+ | this country proves The fact, that when England
I. . supplies the whoe quantity, We pny re l,ghsss
I prices for iron. He desired 70 dettiu the Senate
/ no longer and moved that the memorials be re
iened to the Committee on FiHanee.
Mr. Surgeon made some remarks, and then tne
! EsiiIions We're referred.
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