Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1853-02-15
The Wall Of the Pr0tecti0nistS.

NOUS IuItfl III tHe iolIo"ihS A@"5"a6~ v"
4he subject Of the tariff:
1.-THE fluctuations of the iron trade,
the destruction Of our own iron masters
by foreign competition, AMI the conse'
quent rise in price, furnish an argument
which ought to open the eyes of the
country to the ruinous folly of British
Free Ira le."
Since the cotton manufacturers Of this
country have been largely engaged in
shipping their fabrics to foreign coun.
tries where they sell in the same markets
with similar goods manufactured in Eu.
rope, the advocates Of special protection
have in some degree ceased their com.
plants about the sacrifices and afllic.
,ions ofthe men engaged in the manu-
fac,ure ofthat article, and seem to have
transferred <kei sympathy entirely to
the iron masters, who, from the sanc of
the Tribune and other kird1sl sheets, for
the last six years, have been continually
.on the verge Of destruction, either from
the effects Of too high, or too lOso prices
ofpig metal. No feeling is expressed
for those engaged in Rolling Mills and
Eoundries, all their compassion isreserv.
ed for the smelters Of ore.
Now as matter Of fact, we would
like TO know who Of "our own iron mas.
tiers have been destroyed by foreign com.
petition?"- not one in Ohio.
Kemucky, Tennessee, Illinois, or Mis-.
souri,. The scene Of distress is shifted
fran these States to Pennsylvania; al!
the ruin is in the old Keystone State: ac-
.cording to the published statements in
the Wing papers before the late election,
out Of the three hundred and four furna.
ces that have been built in that State
since 1880, one hundred and sixty were
killed by the tariff Of 4G. The Deccm
Der number OF Hunts Merchants Maga.
zine for 1851, shows that most Of the
furnaces in that State, which the New
York Tribune and other protectonist
journals were trying to convince the pco
pie were destroyed by the tariff Of 40,
actually went out of business existence
prior to l845. As q matter Of fact We
know from our own observation, that q
large proportion Of the furnaces in Ly.
coming, Clinton, Centre, Mifllin, Hun.
tington, and other counties in the intcri'
or Of the State, had exhausted their ore
and timber, and were standing idle, with
sher cabins untenantcd ten years ago.
Clarion County was the scene Of dis.
tress in Pennsylvania. Now it is true
that large number Of furnaces were
broken down in that county, but w
were informed by one Of the Oldest ant
largest iron manufacturers of that coun
xy, that those furnaces that failel wer
built without due regard to the neces
sary supplies Of ore and timber-,ha
for several Of the furnsces those materi
els could not be had short Of from fiftee
10 twenty five miles hauling. Hence
under such circumstances pig meta
would require very high price indee
10 enable the manufacturer to prosper {
the business. Under the operation Of III
tariff OF 40 pig iron has come up
from 10 to so dollars per ton, and ii
old cry Of ruin is still escaping from tt
Wing press, or from that portion of
ihat holds TO the doctrine Of the par
which il, special protection. Real
we cannot understand what state
tbjass these croakers desire to see c
tablisbel!
The argument has besp made with U
until il is perfectly thread bare, that u
less the tariff was materially incfeas
on iron, and on other leading articles
domestic manufacture, that the este
lishmcnts must either break down,
"wages must be reduced to the standA
ofths pauper labor Of Europe"
Aliule before every slection tho
q, I'VE statement wns sure 10 be In Il
mouth Of every protechonist. yet d
world has gone on. and now under Il
SssBrisish Free Trade system" all the pr
ducts 0findustry are in demand at hil
prices, with ready sale. The iron bus
.nsss N oil .its branches, was perhal
pssss sste prosperous than il 10 at Il
sssa,Isss .@'...... s1'g a '.s'e ..' !.
= IfWs correctly understand The matte
ghs point on which tho Whfs dins
fsn the Democrat in respcetto the "a