New-York tribune., 1868-11-10
AMERICAN COPPER.

SIR: Will You allow me to say q few words
respecting the copper interests OF the country with the
hope that Congress at the coming session will do some
thing prevent being crushed aud destroyed al
together
Two great uses copper have been wiped out almost
entirely hin past years vz brass and bronze
for cannon and sheahng for ships Our late war demon
srated that and guns better than bronze
or "copper" consequently the United States, and
most OF the Governments OF Europe, substituting the
former for the latter.
venture to say that tbreefourths OF the going
vessels which have been built within the past ten years
have been made OF steel which, Of course require
no copper sheahng The consequence OF this state OF
things n that copper has fallen in price in all the mar
kets Of world nearly 60 per cent This is an ugly fact
that cannot be overlooked
Such being the case. and seproseryation being the
will not Congress put such duty on
foreign copper and copper will give the supply Tor
home consumption to own peopef with the present
cost OF food clothing and the consequent high price
OF labor IL is impossible for people to produce cop
per and compete with that made with the iowpriced
labor OF other countries
Iknow full well the obecor will say, 4" IL Is not right
for Congress to pass laws which shall favor few capital
lists (orIy who have put their money into mnes' tmS
were true there might be force in the argument,
but it is not as we shall see
Take for instance, the Lake Superior copper mines
(which by the way 1t Is said will soon be echrsed by
those OF California Arizona, Mexico Colorado, and
TENNESSEE whero fifty millions Of money have been
invested within the past twenty years VI TINS vast
sum per cent has been PAID for the nes hs
they lay In state Of nature. The ninefynine per cent
has been paid TO NewEDgland, New York. Pennsylvania,
Ohio Indiana Illinois, Michigan, and WISCONSIN, FOR ina
chinery mining material, work animals, Forage food'
and clothingbe money paid for labor nearly all ex-
pended by the aborer for food and raimenUor IL must
be rccoected that the copper region OF Lake superior
produces nothing but mineral unless 1t be Few potatoes
and possibly two por cent OF what hay Is required
90 much for the OF the mines as they now stand
The capitalists who have expended this vast sum OF
money have only mines to represent It, while the
people OF the States have mentioned have had the
benefit oft Now for the current working OF the mines
for the past few years
have the statistics hand and cnn show that Tor
every dollar received for copper within that time, ninety
Acc cents have been paid for labor and supplies New
York and New.England furnish powder, dry goods gro-
carries clothing and shoes Pennsylvania furnishes ron
steel nails and hardware; while the Lake States supply
breadstufs meat, and forage.
Who then ia TO be benefited by keeping these mines IN
operaton-the owners Of the mines who get fire cents
ont OF every dollar received for the copper or those who
receive the ninetyfve cents, as have shownf Ihave
already made this letter too long, but there is one point
more I will mention before close.
This proposition know, ia opposed by the owners OF
the copper-smeltng furnaces at Boston, NewTork ana
baltimore who their furnaces almost exclusively on
ores brought from Chill and the West Indies, WHICH,
under the law as now stands admitted nearly duty
free.
Now submit, and think can do II without fear OF
contradiction that the only persons who have
any great interest in the seaboard furnaces are
their owners few aborers employed about he and
the owners OF the foreign mines have mentioned.
1t appears to me- II Congress understood this matter In
all s bearings there could be no hesitancy whatever IN
passing the bill TO increase the duty copper ana copper
ores, which is before 1t. Very truly, yours &c.
Marquette, Mich, Nov. 2, 1865 FAIR PLAY"