The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-03-26
Pennsylvania and the Tariff.


The annual report recently presented by the
directors of the Philadelphia Board of Trade to
the members embodies statement of facts
bearing upon the tariff question, and the con-
dition of the iron trade of Pennsylvania under
the operation of the measure of 1916. That
branch of industry is represented as still ,expe.
riencing decline that threatens ultimately TO
deprive it Of all vitality; and the figures intro
duced by the Secretary of the United States
Treasury into his report are cited as in strict
accordance with the individual experience of
many members Of the Board We quote from
the directors statement:
"In ls40. according to the census of that year.
Pennsylvania produced SO 1896 tons of pig iron,
and s7,a44 tons Of wrought iron. In 1S47, 389 $50
tons Of pig iron and 203 TAT tons of wrought iron
In 1850, by census returns, 2s5 .702 tons of pig
iron. and ls2.6o6 tons Of wrought iron.
Had there been no change in the tariff or had
that change been only far modified a. to have
permitted the manufacturers to continue their bu
siness at profit. instead Of . loss, it cannot be
doubted that Pennsylvania alone would now be
producing pig iron to the extent Of 800 900 tons
per annum. and that the demand of the country
would have warranted this extended production
the merchants OF this city, whose business 10 proc
porous. or the reverse, in the exact ratio of the
prosperity Of the producing classes, s At this mo-
ment felt in the great falling OIL of demand for
merchandise among both agric uturists and manu-.
fActurers in this State. The Common wealth feels
that she has sustained loss TO her revenue in di.
minishsd tolls on her public improvements, made
Na cost Of $4,000 900; and instsad of a traffic
which ought TO press upon her canals and fll her
Golfers with revenue, her furnaces and rolling mills
arc half idle-the coal. orc, and lmestope lie COM
paratively worthless in the ground--her working
men, the creators Of her wealth. are, in measure.
idle-the crops Of her sturdy farmers are neither
wanted at home nor abroad. even at their prcsent
low prices and the treasurer Of this great State has
been obliged 10 call upon the Legislature, now in
session. for authority to borrow temporarily $780,
600. to enable him TO meet the semi annual inter.
est upon the State loan payable to-day.
THAT we may not be considered AZ having At
tached undue importance to the existing dcprcs.
sion in the manufacture Of iron, in is effects upon
the interests Of this State, we submit somo facts.
taken from a statistical work on the manufac-
turs OF iron published by the Convention of Iron
Masters, held in this city, December 30. ls4e:
"Thc total imports Of iron, including manufac.
lures OF steel and iron and steel wns ii 575 tone
value s l6,05s,96l, which WINS composed VI the fol-
lowing itcms:
Tons.
Coai' .......................l Az Sag
iron ore. '''.....s..............1 ,O67,729
BreadstufFs consumed in feedinr tS an iabor.r.
In Great Britain, representing . population
o. 2s2,sSo persons, at 30 dollars worth per
me nsaa. ss,%7o,s5o
Inc same population in this country
would have consumed so dollars worth
oil preadstuffs per head, or. ........ 0I%1l7 $50
1.-The total exports of brcsdstuIs for tho year
ending December -, ls49. from the United States
to all the world. was ga, $685. or which Great
Britain and Ireland took 0fs.757 ,665, which 10 a
less amount in value than the iron imported from
that country. and les than the 2s2 1856 persons de-
pendent on the works producing this large quaint
~ OF iron would have consumed in breadstuns had
they produced II on the banks OF the susquehanns,
schuyikill, or Lehigh, at the wages paid TO Amer
lean workmcn
at was though, great matter In 1876 to have.
the whole world for q market 70 our snric uturists
and IL wns made tho chief motive, and most potent
argument, in favor Of a reduction Of du,ics; bot
while the custom house returns disclose the fact
that We have exported fewer breadstuffs 10 tho
worlds market in 1851 than we did in 1896 before
the duties were reduced on foreign imports, and
before the British corn laws wcrc abolished: and
the further fact that we arc importing more than
hve times ~ much iron as We did, by which 40
have lost home market for more than IA 900 900
OF brcadstuffs, and have allowed 10 remain under
ground several millions Of tons Of coal, ore, and
hmestone-the dclusion Mt once becomes apparent;
and we cannot doubt that if the matter IL properly
brought before Copgress,a wiser legislation on this
subject will result in remedyng the evils griev-
Gus TO the people OF Pennsylvania and injurious to
the growth and prosperity of this city"
THRrv-rivR Of the Cuban prisoners will leave in
the paoketship Soutberncr, Capt. Sullivan, this
evening or TO morrow, for New Orleans. They 70
to Join friends from whom they have long been sep.
srstcd and we trust enriched by that personal ex.
poricnce which teaches men that il IL wrong 10
violate the laws and flag Of their country even in
the sacred name Of liberty, and double wrong
when il 10 done In mere reckless spirit OF enter.
prise hope o. personal rswArd. or love of adven-