New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-05-29
GIVE Us THE SODA ASH MANU-
FACTURE.

Soda ash within ten days has gone up half cent a
pound.
Well what OF that Just this: For the bread that
we Americans eat-for the window-gass that lights
houses and in part shelters from the weather
Tor every pound Of hard soap use-for every
sheet OF letter. cap, and printing paper-for the
bleaching Of our cotton cloths and very many other
blessings-we are absolutely dependent on Great
Britain. Her manufacturers of soda ash have the
monopoly Of furnishing the United States with that
article indspensably necessary in itself and in its
oOue.alyc products to the supply of the cOmmonest
wants of our social and domestic life There is not
soda ash mandatory in the United States. There
are tue skeletons OF many. killed dead by eompet
ton uader Free Trade tariff OF Free Trade clauses in
Protective Tariffs, which represents the difference Of
WAGES paid 20 common aborers in the United States
and Great Butais-50 cents day there, and 81 80 a
Day here Blu, there is not single living, kicking
sod' ash factory in our whole country.
L., as restate this our nations dependence. If 8
var should break out between Great Britain and the
United States, we should be instantly cut of from
orr supply Of the materials to make bread, soap,
gas. and paper The manufacturing interests depend.
ent upJn soda ash and its correla.ives would forth
with be brought to the greatest distress or to absolute
ruin; soon as the imported stock on hand was ex-
hau.,el, We should have TO depend on bookade-run-
ming % obtain the chemical element necessary to
euabe the nation TO wash its clothes and raise Us
dread and cakes. In the event Of such war, soda
al would go up TO two dollars o pound. Indeed, IL
could not be got at any price. Our people would
expate with a widespread distress their folly IN not
4avius encouraged and established the manufacture
Of It's article ofprime and indispensable necessity at
least 70 the point of independence Of foreign supply
Bat soda ash has gone mp bali cent pound. 1t
isa new lnctuation which we simply wish to employ
in nrging the solemn duty to make this Nation indie
pnlsn Of Great Britain for the comfort Of il social
aud domestic life. The fuotuation in the price Of
.ola ash in 1866 was between - cents the pound and
121 cents. During much Of that time, the profit the
B~l.h manufacturers and importers made out Of
q. r,Yged between 200 and 400 per cent. Money
enough was sent out Of this country TO pay nordnate
profts to foreigners to have paid for the
su,csssful establishment here Of the soda ash
manufacture in at least eight different Siaies,
ana 10 have secured permanently low ana
STEADY price of the article ii all the American
markets. This rise Of half cent pound-a BRUSH
TAX on every glass soap, paper and cotton manuiac'
tnrer in this country-will not excite protest. How
wise It would be for these manufacturers, quitting
forever their chronic protests against taTH on soda
ash 20 unite in demanding one that should immedl-
stev establish the manufacture here and save them
forever from these inevitable fluctuations in the price
Of the foreign article and the extravagani profits
from which only home competition between estab-
ushed producers saves the consumer