New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1866-03-02
THE TARIFF ON IRON AND STEEL.
The Iron and steel Eanufnctnrers' Asso-
citation Call ON the Prcsideni - Their
Address-The President's Reply.

WASHINGTON, Thursday March ], l'66.
The Iron and Steel Manufacturers AsSocia-
tou representing invested capitals of $40 10000 and
composed Of gentlemen from Massachusetts Kentucky
Vermont Missouri, Ohio Georgia, Pennsylvania
Virginia Michigan. New-JeIsey Illinois, MARYLAND
and Connecticut visited the President at clock P IN
TODAY Capt Il. B. Ward Of Detroit Mich acted as
Uhairnan and made known the object and purposes oil
The Association in the following language
Mr. PRESIDENT: have the pleasure to introduce 10
you the direct representatives Of the
7ron and steel In the United States net 1Pt,
1he III mediate interests Of more than IVoVV
men Who UtL their families represent q population
Of over 80 900 sOus more than the "h3e PoI'un
Of Cincinnati. Chicago. and 81 Lous w 'o ~ e.
Mr. President in the hope OF inuuclns y, s4os ~ %
Ter our efforts and 10 protect us against European COM
petition until such time at least as we can Pioieet our
selycs We believe that within very rev years the
Southeru states will commence tue WORK I" getll1g ou
aud bringing into active uSe their lron coal ana COP
per which abound with such profIseness thi3ugnon
fheir tsrrifoYV We believe, MI. freSceht tbal lhe
Southern States are as full of wealth as the Northern
and that time will develop their resources Tie SCUM
ern States have al least 2OOO.OOV oil poor "N's
that could and should he converted into miners Hnu
manufacturers and at 81 per day each the aeercga'c
Of one years industry alone would MOI Dt iess 'na
5000 900 COO sun which would soon zen upon ; 'no
prO,perty OF the country. Entertaining these opinions
we met together last evening and passed some feso.u
SionS expressing our views IN reference 10 lue apols
Sntoresi OF the country ana nave the hOho !"
THE PRESIDENTS REPLY.
Nj Johnson replied as follows:
GENrLENEN: All can say. and all perhaps, that II
is prudent for say al this time is that am very
much Obliged you for calling upon me ana tAhnk YOU
for the compliment sympathze WITH YOU 70 tte Ut
most in what you purpose to undertake ana W
perforrD and might say that my whole lie mas peeh
directed toward ameiorating the condition o. me
1a. tended in that direction; whether j have
been correct or not is for others 10 de-
sernine and will be left with time | am
Uratfed 10 meet you hele and / sympathlke ia
he labor Of your undertaking; but while you are en-
gagged adopting plans and schemes that may result
in building up and strengthening the manufacturing
interest of the county you should be equally engaged
and interested in developing and restoring the primer
ples OF the Union and the Government, which tllnk
should be the precursor OF what you are undertaking
The restoration OF people would ne one OF TIE great
eat projections 10 our home industry that could be
given. our currency las reached point Of great IN,
batiOn Manysare apprehensive that we cannot stand
uDder such an enormous circulation Of currency.
~nd yet we fearful that If we attempt 10
contract we shall be reduced to bankruptcy.
AL our should be directed 10 preserving the
currency and preventing expansion on the one hanu'
aud bankruptcy and Ievulsion on the other IL seems
90 me tat in this work which affects the mSnuaclu
ing agricultural and mining interests OF TIE colntry
che first thing be done is 10 labor for restoration oil
Che Government II we could enlarge the area IN
which currency is 20 circulate increase Inc NUMBER
Of hands through which is 10 pass We should CORE
spondngly give il sounder basis without taxing ou'
one dollar from the circulation BY restoring the gov
and the industrial products OF The South' We
thereby widen the OF circulation and elOng with
N bring into the market OF the country millions OF
Tobacco and cotton. This is very important
Item, and wOuld stren CITIZEN the country ana
fncresse the demand for all manufacturing productions
1t seems 10 that the most powerful stimulus tLat
could given to these interests would be TO restore our
Government Ii would increase the demand for manu-
featuring articles Of all kinds. BY restoring the coun
try you increase its ability 70 pay taxes You could
leave she present rate Of tariff II Is II you could take
kway ths eternal BY getting rid OF this
kuf nal tax Dol o.
crease protection ~ yOur manufacturing aud agricu
Rural in erests think that fast we can we should
get away from these internal taxes that now rest 50
Heavily upon the industrial products OF the country
Anythng can do will do that Will tend TO strengthen
The resources OF our country. sympathize with you,
and trust and hope your efforts will succeed and
lend Is our country Is restored and peace returns.
To these remarks Capt. WARD responded;
We believe Mr. President, that the constant drain
pon IL and onr resources the mpOrtBtiOns that
rome from England. We believe that that drain will
produce very disastrous results unless the present tarh
As increased SO far the currency Is concerned,
is greatly reduced we believe II VIII result IN disaster
and bankruptcy.
Mr. JonssOS-As I have remarked if We restore the
Government and thus increase the demand iOr articles
hur currency will be placed upon hrmer basis.
Ihink this does away with all argument for dInlnu
tion Of tnc amount OF circulation. But there Is one
Thing of paramount consideration Let Us have Gov
rrnI1cntet have united people, then We have go
Government
Mr. H. Il. WARD M Presideat-We are all labOring
under fbe belief that have Government
Mr. IoHNsos-Thet let Us have a whole q Government
Then We have got wider for everything 10 be
Carried on 10
The several members Of the association were then
respectively introduced the President by Capt Ward
and irnu ed ately thereafter retired.
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