New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-05-10
AMERICAN IRON.

ture, has an intelligent and energetic pop
ulation, and is very rich in promises to pay
and tolerably flush of money, so long as Its
foreign creditors do not ask it to call and
settle. We have more gold than ever be-
fore, and prospect of still augmenting our
pile, so long as our creditors see fit to let
US. New enterprises are daily planned;
and, our long, hard winter being at length
over, and our fields inviting the plow, there
is an active demand for Labor throughout
the Country, which we trust will soon re-
lieve the cities of their plethora of idlers
who would gladly be workers. Superb
cially,we seem an dare generally presumed
to be on the broad highway to unprece-
dented industrial activity and general pros
perity.
But there is black shadow to this
bright foreground, in the condition and
prospects of many branches of our Manu-
features, and especially the production OF
Iron. In the face of general activity, fac
tory after factory is deserted and shut up;
furnace after furnace is blown out and sur
rendered to assignees or the sheriff. And
is but now that we have heard that most
of the few works which have hitherto been
kept in operation in New-Jersey are to be
closed and given up during the present sea-
son-some of them within the next thirty
DAYS. And these are no rash and crude
experiments, commenced without capital
or requisite knowledge, but works which,
with ample means and under prudentman-
sgement, have been kept in motion through
every change of circumstances tor many
years.
The losses of the proprietors or opera
tors of such works must be severe, and we
think most unmerited; but they are few
scores, with other capacities or resources;
while the workers under them are num-
bered by thousands, and their loss Is almost
irreparable. Men who have earned SO to
sos per week at the only business they
thoroughly understand will often find it
impossible to earn half as much, third, or
indeed any thing, when that business is
thoroughly destroyed. Their families, at
ter years of comfort and practical indie
pendence, will be reduced to precarlous
shifts or absolute need and the farmers,
who have found advantageous markets at
the furnaces, will feel the difference when
their late customers shall have been grad
ually forced into the position Of competi-
tors.
Shall nothing be done to prevent the
complete prostration of our Iron interest =!
Outside of President making, we expect
nothing from the present Congress; but
can the Iron-makers do nothing for them
selves Suppose it conceded that they
can never recover, unaided, the ground
which has been wrested from them, piece
by piece, during the last five years, may
they not DO something toward arresting the
tide of desolation where it now Is, and thus
awaiting the result of an appeal to the
People! We do not believe the Country
wills or intends the destruction of the
American Iron interest; we are confident
that majority would rather uphold it,
Northern New York is anti Wing, yet
avows itself for Protection to Iron; so
saws the Democratic Legislature of New
Jersey so say many of like affinities in
Pennsylvania SO says Col. Benton in Mis-
souri,. Then let none give way to despair.
A worse Congress than the present is
hardly possible; better one as its sue
cessor is highly probable. Let all who
can hold on
But we would not rely wholly nor mainly
on Congress; we believe there Is help
nearer at hand. Men who know far more
of Iron than we ever expect to assure
us that there are processes within the
reach of our Iron-masters which, even now,
would greatly improve the condition of the
business. Especially in the matter of mix
ing Ores to better the quality of the Iron
are we assured that great Improvements
are Immediately practicable. Are the Iron
masters looking into this
Necessity is the mother Of Invention
Seasons of adversely, trial and privation
teach many valuable truths which in pros
perity were overlooked or forgotten. May
it be thus with the Iron interest in It's
present depression! If our Iron men
would hold a meeting once a month,
as we think they ought, adjourning from
New-York to PHILADELPHIA, thence to