New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-02-01
Comments bu The Tribnne.


Comments By The Tribune.
Readeri you, we will hope, produce. have
produced, OF are interested in producing, some
thing of value because useful to mankind-say
| Corn, or Cheese, or Cotton, or Chocolate. Now,
| we will suppose that an act of Congress, or
something else, would tomorrow increase the
price of that article, so that what formerly
| brought 500 should hencefOrth sell for S25,
with a fair prospect that this enhancement
would continue, with little abatement, for at
least three or four years: what would be the
natural, inevitable effect of such advance of
the price on productiOn9 Would not
those already producing be melted to
produce more abundantlyi And would not
others be impelled to engage in producing like
wise 7 Suppose the average profit OF produc-
ton per tun, which was previously ) !, should
now be increased to s., how is it possible that
the consequence we indicate should not follow
We appeal to your experience, your reason,
your common sense. The Posts position seems
to us to deny and defy law as natural and
obvious as gravitaton. Judge, and, if we are
wrong, condemn us
When The Post and its cOnfederates had
beaten Henry Clay in 1874, by the help of the
Kane letter and the watchword in Pennsyl-
yania of "Polk, Dallas, and the Tariff of '42, ,
a great Democratic jollifcation was held over
the result in Pittsburgh, to which the Hon.
James Buchanan contributed the following
| toast:
"DoDaestie MantraottresThey been saved by the
election OF James X Polk from being overwhelmed by the
estment and from an expansion Of the currency which
would have nuifed any protection short Of prohibition
Will The Post look this sentiment square
in the face, and tell us whether it had or bad
not substratum of TRUTH If it had, will it
attempt to reconcile it with its present position
The production of Pig Iron is one of the
simplest and rudest of civilized industries
much simpler, and subject to fewer contingent
cies, than the growing Of Indian Corn. The
raw materials-0re, Fuel, Limestone-exist in
abundance on almost every hundred miles square
of our country. You can buy more of them
all than would supply the country with Pig
Iron for the next century at a cost not ex-
ceeding 81 for every tun of product; or, Gf
this is too dear, the Government still owns
millions of acres full Of them which it will sell
you for Sit per acre. or Gf that is too dear
will give you some for settling on them. But
Won can buy them on far better terms in Yir-
ginia, in Missouri, in Tennessee, and lin
short) almost every where. Vast forests rise
above the cheapest Orc-beds affording the fuel
(charcoaD that will make the best of Pig Iron.
The cost of the necessary works is very small /;
the labor required is mainly rude and abundant
that of choppers, diggers, Transfers, &c, &c.
The duty on Pig Iron imported is 50 per tun.
If the average profit of producing IL in this
country under that duty is SIS, or IS,
or even SO, why is not more made7 and
why are not more persons attracted into the
business until the price shall have been brought
down to the actual cost, or very near it'll
You, reader! we will presume to be Free
Trader, but not necessarily fool. Will you
tell us why you and your brother Free Traders
do not make Pig Iron if this industry be in
deed so proftable7 You know right well that
millions Of acres Of Coal and Iron lands are
owned by your folks and that you can buy
more very cheap of the Government, or of pri-
vate holders, if you choose. You are as fond
Of making money rs we Protectionists are, and
you know right well that you have every priv-
lege and facility that we have. Then 'chy don't
vou make Pin Iron and keep making more