Daily national Republican., 1863-02-18
Ths duties ON Iron, Co.I and Steel.

d the Duties on IronI Goal and steel
Strenuous sfforts In different quarters are
being made to induce Congress 10 repeal, or
greatly reduce the present high duties on coal
and iron. The prices Of these articles arc so
enormous as to bear with great severity upon
all classss OF the people; for everybody must
use coal and iron. whatever else they can dis
pense with. A reduction in the price would do
something 10 tighten the burdens which we
printers are uAde'to boar VIII not Psnnsyi-
vanis consent that something may DO done for
90 charitable q purpossi In connection with
this subject, We see thst senator Wade has pre-
Ssutsd the following memorial from Ohio,
TO DC Senate and Hops, Of Representatives
q Your petitioners respectfully ropresent, that
they are loyal citizens OF the State OF Ohio.
That they are largely engagedi In manufacturing
roaping and moving machines aud other agri-
cultural implements. That this class of ma
chlnery, since our army has absorbed so large
number Of our agricultural laborerS, has be-
come not only matter Of great conymience,
but OF primo and absolute necessity. Without
II the great crops Of the West cannot be So
cured, and the food Of the people and the food
Of the army win come short.
Your petitioners further represent that cast
iron, rolled iron and steel constitute . larger
per cent Of the cost Of these implements than
Of any ether class Of machinery made OF wood
and iron, and that the cost OF these articles has
Of late been advanced to such an enormous
hgure under the stimulating and dlctatorial in
huence OF combination OF iron and steel
manufacturers in Pennsylvania and elsewhere,
prUtscted in their doingS by the very high du-
ties on these articles, as TO constitute a very
serious and onerous tar upon the agricultural
products Of the great West.
Your petitioners arc not aware that there has
been any dirninution whatever in the raw ma
torial from which iron and steel are produced,
nor are they aware Of any causes, except an
advance In the price Of labor, that should very
materially increase the price OF these articles
Of prime necessity. And yet under the dictam
Of the iron mAnufacturers' combination, the
price Of rolled iron has been carried up from
$50 TO near 500 per ton, and steel from. ei70
TO near $500 per ton, tho latter being advanced
ffty dollars in three woeks time. Your Pc
titioners believe that the enormous and un-
natural advance in the price of these articles
Ia not justified by any adequate cause. That Il
has been stimulated and Is naintained by the
combination Of iron manufacturer for selfish
and avaricious ends, and already Il is laying q
tag on the agriculture OF our country, or we
may say on the food Of he peopIs, hard 10 be
borne, and II prices be stin further advanced,
as We are assured they will be, II must moat
seriously diminish tho product Of the coming
harvest. ~
Under tlfis state of facts your petitioners
respectfully, but most earnestly pray that the
duty on iron and steel may be repealed, or SC
reduced as 10 defeat the unjust combination "a
which we have alluded, by restoring healthy
competition among those Of whom the people
are compelled TO buy those articles Of tho frst
necessity. "' ~" 'T