The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-01-17
AMERICAN INDUSTRY.
EFtTEs OF the IEOp AND STEEL ASSOCIATION
SPEECH OF HORACE GREELEY.

meetlhB IN this city, this morning. But little
business, excepting the appointment of com
mlttees, was transacted at the morning session.
The meeting this evening was very large and
earnest, and many members of Congress and
other prominent persons interested in the pro-
lection of native industry and manufactures,
were present and participated
The Convention was called to order at. eight
O'Clock, by the Vice President, Samuel j.
Reeves.
The Chairman called for the reports from the
various committees appoin ted at the morning
session. Mr.. Scranton, Chairman of the Com
Tnittee on the Tariff, stated that that Committee
had o meeting, but nothing definite had been
arrived at, and asked to have further time
allowed in which to present a report Further
time vas granted
The following is an abstract Of the resolutions
adopted
ResolUed, That while an increase of duties on
iron ana steel beyond those now existing may
cause a temporary increase in prices, the effect
Of protective duties which establish in
dustrles to the point OF competition with
rival imports is ultimately to reduce
prices to consumers. 1t is beyond dispute
that the duty imposed by the Morrill, tariff
on cast steel, amounting to 100 per cent increase
on previous rates, under which duty the pro-
duction of American steel was greatly extended,
brought down the price of the imported article
frtm l612 cents pound to i3 cents, and that when
geld was at $3.50 and the best English cast steel
consequently had TO be sold at 43 cents; Ameri-
can steel of equally good quality never sold for
more than 80 cents, and it is also time that pre-
thiscountry to make Bessemer rails the English
agents charged for them $3.50 in gold, but
dropped the price TO sll0 upon learning that we
were going largely into the business under the
expectation of an increase of the tariff.
ResolUed, That the facts reported by the Special
Commissioner of the Revenue for use in the re-
vision of the tariff, that "the wheat and corn
crops Of the United States for 1865, amounted
there were exported to Great Britain 2209-
$50 bushels, as compared with 37l56,Si2 bu-
shells imported into Great Britain from
hundred weight OF wheat flour imported
were received from the United States, while on
the other hand New England and the State of
New York alone, in 1850, required 26,OOO,OOO of
ductions to make up their consumption.
While Of the value Of the whole agricuI-
cultural products of the country for the same
year, including hay, butter, wine potatoes, hemp
and wool, as well as grain, but including
cotton, rye and sugar only "a per cent. was es-
timated to have been exported, leaving 97A per
cent. for the home market consumption These
facts cOnclusively show the worthlessness OF the
foreign market to the farmers of this country,
and demonstrate that the interest of the agri-
Culturists in the United States lies in building
up home manufactures under the protection of
tariffs, as to increase the number of COM
sumers of their products. to diminish the cost
of their transportation, and to secure to them
steady, sure and remunerative markets.
ReSOtUed That half century's experience
toAmerican farmers, except what they receive
from the existence and extension OF American
manufactures; that every pound Of imported
iron, steel and copper, every yard or i'm
ported cloth, every pane of Imported glass.
every article imported, the clements of
whose production possess, are importa-
tOns in manufactured form of farm products
and labor which come in direct and injurious
competition with the products of the farms and
labor OF the United States and the interests of
American farmers, mechanical la6orers and
manufacturers, are one and indivisibte, and
require that they should act together to
secure the undisturbed possession OF their own
make
ReSolUed That we rejoice at the increase of
protection given by the Finance Committee of
the Senate to the wool growers of the United
states, and would invite their cooperation
to extend our country's mecanical industry so as
to secure for themselves permanent and ever
improving market for their. heeces, in the sue
cessful establishment of the American broad
cloth and worsted manufacture and in the
ability of Well-paid laborers and busy people
TO buy and to consume.
The resolutions were unanimously adopted.
The Chairman having extended an invitation
to any gentleman present who felt interested in
the objects of the Association to submit their
views loud calls were made for Hon. Horace
Greeley who came forward and made some
very interesting remarks which were loudly
applauded. He said he thought he might fairly
begin by congratulating the Association on a
very decided improvement in the sentiment of
Congress toward the protection of the imperilled
branches OF the national industry. (Applause.)
He had been here but day, and yet in that
day he had talked with quitea number of MEM
bers of Congress, who did not stand by them as
he thought they should have done in the action
this Improvement with Joy, the more because he
considered 1t result of consultation with
their constituents. 1t was a healthy uprising
of public sentiment making itself manifest
through the representatives of the people in
Congress.
He would assure them that there were a half
dozen Senators who voted to lay their bill on
the table at the last session, or who did not vote
at all, who are now prepared to sustain mea.
sure at least effective and protective i'll its
character as that bill was. (Applause). They
thought there was reason for deferring or post
poning the bill of the last session. He regretted
that they thought so, because while he admitted
that that measure embodied some imperfec-
tlons. as the most perfect bill that can be drawn
will embody, still he would call the business
men of this country TO witness, that had that
hill passed six months ago the amount of our
indebtedness to Europe would have been seven
hundred million dollars less than it is to-day
(Applause)
We should have called into or kept in oui
workshops q very large body of citizens who
have been wandering about the country seek
ing subsistence or vainly staying at home wait
ing for employment to come to them. In the
city of New York there were over 100000 able
bodied men and women vainly seeking fol
work They wished to be useful, but no en-
ployment was furnished them, and in tha
state OF affairs there were statesmen, so called
who eoolly say shut up your manufactures, pu
out your forge fires.
What matters 1t whether these people be en-
nloved or not. If they are not employed in you
shops they will find work somewhere else. Ill
would saw il was not time that they would flint
emplyment elsewhere. If they loose 1t ther
and the present condition OF the country was
witness OF that fact, it was true, as stated In Tn