Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1852-09-23
The Iron Interests of the United
States.

There are few minerals more widely ditiused
and none Of greater value than IRON The orc
of this metal is found in almost every State
through Pennsylvania is emphatcally the
greatest iron producing State of the Union. -
Other States, however contain the ore IN no less
abundance. Il has been estimated that in Ohio
1900 square miles are underlaid with iron. which
tract is calculated to contain l,0s0OO0,0O0 tons
In Maryland, Tennessee, Missouri, Kentucky
Virginia. and other States the ore is found in
abundance. And yet with all the lavish bounty
OF nature in this respect, we annually import not
far from Si00000O0 worth of iron IN the PIG or
manufactured by rolling
Great Britain is the greatest iron producing
country of the world her annual production be-
ing estimated at 100000 tons. Five years ago
the United Suites produced the same amount
In 1880 according % the census returns, only
3Gi.7Jj tons were made This decline in pro-
ductlon Is IN great measure attributable to the
reduction of the duty under the iree-trade tariff
Of 1916 The cheapnoss Of foreign iron in our
markets sets NO defiance the competition of our
own miners and manufacturers. Some idea may
be formed of the great loss which has resulted
from the abandonment Of the policy OF protect
ing our own Producers by an examination of the
statistics of the iron manufacture of peunsyl-
vania. There are 3O4 blast furnaces and bloom
cries in the State, with capacity for making
$4,000 tons per annum. I'm l5l7 these furnaces
made 9.3jJ tons. In 1850, they made bat IL
bout 100000 tons. The number of FORCES and
rollingnills ia the State is 300 with a capacity
for making 22l6JO tons per annum Their ac-
tual product for 1917, was 202727 tons. la
1919, the production had fallen of 10 l36,S53
tons. The capital invested in the above mills
amonnt to not far from Sy0,000,00O, and the de-
terioration must be at least 30 per cent. Proba-
bly, not half 80 many laborcrs ore now employed
IN the Manufacture as were employed IN lci1.-
These facts show the extent of the existing de-
preston in the iron business of the country.
Il is doubtless "a matter Of surprise with many.
how it is th1t SO heavy and yet comparatively
cheap an article as iron can be produced ln
Great Britain and sold ia TINS country, after pay
ing duty, freight, and commissions at o. less price
than ~ ecu be afforded from our own u,iils. The
answer Is obvious. We have the skill, the fuel,
the faculties for reaching murict and every
other requisite for the production of iron which
is TO be found abroad-except cheap labor.
Labor enters largely into the process of iron
making, and hborers can be obtained by the
iron masters of Scotland at from n to 36 cents
a day, In England from 81 to As cents per day
Is paid IN this country tine wages %! common
laborers is from IS cents 10 81 per day. the aver
AGE beng about 10 cents n day. Here is a dt-
ference of about 100 per cent 10 favor OF the
iron at a cost of only abou. $40 per ton, which
cannot be manufactured here for perhaps twice
that sum-
It follows that without iudiciuus protection, or
q great reduction ia the wages OF The labofor
the IRON interest Ike many other branches of
manufacture must continue depressed. The de-
sired protection was accorded TO the iron BUSH
ness by the tariff OF ls42-a tariff which was
emphatcally a Wing measure, and which was
repealed by the Democracy. The latter party is
emphaucally responsible for the existing depres
sion in the manufactures Here then we have
broad line separating the two parties, and dis
tInct and important issue in the present canvass
Tho Wings aim 10 encourage the iron interest
and every other branch Of domestic industry
the Democrats seek by free trade 10 throw our
markets open to the competition o. the world,
thus brcakHg down our manufacturing industry
or reducing the wages of the laborer to par
with the starvation prices IN Europe. Those
who contend that there is no important issue be-
tween the ;wo great parties viii DO well 10 pond
or upon these tacts.- boston Journal.