New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-02-18

have tried 10 answer substantially tue very
argument against Protection raised by Z.
M in the above, and that we undoubtlng-
" belere we have succeeded. We do not
say that our arguments are conclusive, but
they certainly appear so to as. Then what
sense in asking over again the questions
which we have so often answered entirely
to our own satisfaction If we are grossly
ignorant of the subject, and even unable to
comprehend it, why waste time upon US
If we have hitherto discussed the matter
sophistically, evasively, or fallaciously'
why not take up our essays upon 1t, and
expose their errors What sense in going
back to the foundation, and merely asking
over again the questions to which we have
at least fully and frequently replied
But we will try just once more to
make the Protective view of this subject
comprehensive to c. NJ
The quantity of Iron required for the
consumption of our country in 1851 is prob
ably not less than One Million Tuns, of
which we will say half is Pig costing $50
to import, and half Bar averaging $40; the
whole cost, if it were all imported, being
therefore S3O.OOO,O0 Now let us admit
that it would cost to produce nine tenths of
this Iron in our own country, under efficient
Protection, an average of $50 for the Pig
and $50 for the Bar for the first year.
Among the advantages of such production
over reliance on Importation would be
these:
!. Instead of this Iron being produced
by Labor in Europe receiving from %
cents to 81 per day, averaging not over 40
cenls-it would be produced by Labor in
America, receiving from IS cents to SO per
day. averaging at least Sl.25.-We do not
know that &C. M considers this Of any
consequence, but rc do. If the men now
making Iron in Russia, Wales and Scot
land would come here and work as cheap
as they do there, we too might make cheap
Iron; but they expect and command a
great deal more here than there; and we
think well PAID Labor of more consequence
than cheap Iron, and rejoice that Iron
makers cannot be induced to work so cheap
here as in Europe. We prefer to pay
quarter more for Iron for which the makers
receive in America Sl.25 per day, rather
than have it made by those same men in
Europe for an average of 40 cents per day.
,. Every year of active and prosperous
Iron making in this country tends inevita-
bly, to cheaper Iron in the right way-that
is, by means not inconsistent with a fair
recOmpense to the Labor employed in pro-
ducing it. In such years. new beds of Ore
and Coal are opened and proved, the
means Of bringing the Ore and Fuel to-
gether are improved, more extensive and
perfect Works erected and the progress OF
Invention and Improvement in the pro-
cesses Of Iron-making is greatly accelera-
ted. Give us ten years of steady, assured,
efficient Protection to Iron-making, and if
this Country does not then produce Iron in
the average cheaper than Great Britain has
ever yet done, then the result in this case
will be the reverse Of what it has been
with regard to Newspapers, Cut Nails,
Pins. Screws, and nearly every article in
regard to which American Industry has
had field unembarassed by Foreign com
petition.
8. The MONEY cost does not determine
The REAL cast Of Foreign as compared ,cih
homemade Iron. One Million Tuns I'M
ported will have cost, we have supposed,
Thirty Millions; if made at home, Forty
Millions. But we have not the least doubt
that the real cost of the former would be
much greater than that of the latter. The
Iron made at home will have been paid for
in Charcoal, Wood, Mineral Coal, Vegeta-
bles Fruits, Milk, &c. &c. supplied to the
hon-makers by the farmers living around
them-which products would have had
comparatively no value in the absence of
the convenient market for them which
lron-maBing creates. The products which
the Iron makers have received in exchange
for their Iron, and called worth Forty Mil
lions could not be sent out of the Country
and sold for Twenty-Five Millions. A
farmer consumes say a tun of Iron, which
costs him $50 being made al home, when
he might, in the absence Of any Tariff,
have obtained it from Europe for $40, or if
YOU please S35. Here, says Free Trader.
10 bos 1oe+ II b1, tba Taft or ,,a;d S1s