The Portsmouth inquirer. [volume] (Portsmouth, O. [Ohio]) 1849-1855, 1852-03-19

lllt6sf8 Editors
Ihad come 10 the conclusion not 70 tronb
lie your readers any more with my splosy
land perhaps not very interesting articles
but an article lately published in the Tri
bune and Clipperas copied from the IrcntoI
lRegister,is Of SO extraordinary characte
that feel unwilling to let it pass withou
tIgiving my opinion Of it. The Registe
says: "What might moi the iron business
of this vicinity be if it were enabled by ju
1dicious protection, the better to Withstand
Iioreign competitions 1t ism enough fol
Jus that the iron interest can barely live.--
We desire TO see the manufacture Of iror
la;ded against foreign competition, that il
may thrive and increase. 1t does not satisfy
|us to be told that the iron men are doing as
well as other people. This may all be lrue.'
] Well, 1t seems the truth is out at last
was always Of the opinion that selfishness,
and not the prosperity Of the country, was at
1.-The bottom of all the clamor raised about
protection. Now they throw off all dis
Iguise and say in plain terms that they are
not satisfied to do as well as other people, ~
General Taylor writes 10 the Secretary Of the
Quarterly Association Of iron men, that
there is no hope for them during the present
session Of congress. Their case is certainly
a hard one, They are not satisfied TO barely
live or do as well as other people, and Con-
|gress will not take them under Its special
care and protection. They are to be pltied,
but they must try to stand it. The iron
men in the vicinity Of Ironton must think
they constitute very important portion of
the United States. is only short time
since they threatened to quit working in iron
If Congress did not take their case in hand
and do somethingfo for them Immediately. 1t
is to be hoped that they will not do any
thing so desperate as that. Again, the Reg
lister says: "But if their business was bet.
ter, would not every branch Of business in
this entire region be better?" That is, the
entire region within twenty miles Of Iron
ion, no doubt Of it. They could get rich in
q very short time. And then they would be
doing better than other people. The Loco
focos in Congress must be very obstinate
set, that they cannot let the small matter Of
legislating for country that extends only
from Maine to Oregon stop, and take up the
case Of the entire region Of lronton, SO as TO
enable them to do better than other people
The Register closes somewhat lengthy ar
ticle, BY saying, "Recollect it is truth; as
the iron interest thriveS here, so do all 9TH
er interest thrive; and as the iron interest
is depressed, SO are all other interests de-
pressed" We suppose it means the entire
region within twenty miles Of lronton; be-
cause this place is only thirty miles off and
we know that our interests are not depend
ent on the iron interests for its elevation or
depression. For instance, it was stated last
year at public meeting in this place, that
the whole amount Of corn shipped from the
Scioto valley to different markets, was over
five hundred and fifty thousand bushels, an d
out Of that large quantity only nifty thou
sand bushels went TO the entire furnace re-
gioD. going 10 show that If corn growers ex-
pect u market for their surplus corn, they
must seek il elsewhere than at the furnaces.
1t would require ten times as many furnaces
as are now in operation to consume ell the
corn raised at present in the vicinity of this
place. 1t is therefore, preposterous, moth
ing but vain boasting for them 10 pretend to
say that they by "judicious protection"
could furnish market for even The products
Of the Scioto valley. The iron interest is a
very respectable interest, and contributes
its full share to the general interests Of the
country, and we wish it all the success it
merits, compatible with all the other grea
interests Of the country. But when the iron
makers petition Congress to enable them to
10 better than those engaged in any other
department. Of business, we beg leave TO
inter our protest against any such thing be-
ing done. We know Of 10 good reason
Why one particular class Of men should be
enabled to do better than another.
Ii Congress leaves trade entirely free and
then every citizen is at liberty
o choose that which appears to him to be
he most profitable; and it is folly in the ex-
rene for a few individuals to go into any
business, and as soon as they get
aiily engaged, to come out and tell us they
re not satisfied with ordinary profits, Con-
ress must help them TO do better than other
'eople The next piece Of folly is for them
o undertake 10 gull the people into the be-
ef that they can furnish market for all
be produce o. the country. What the fur
lace region consumes is not the twentieth
art of what is shipped from this place to
ifferent markets. II is the general prosper
" Of the country brought about by an unre-
lricied trade with all parts of the world that
ives us market for the products Of our
abor and not by drawing labor into particu-
" channels by restrictions on commerce.
We are glad TO see by Gen. Taylor's letter
hat Congress is wise enough to legislate for
be general interests of the whole country,
xtending as it does from Maine to Oregon,