The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-02-03
RAILROADS-STEEL.
From The N. Y. Tribune

From the N. Y. Tribune.
In connection with the report of the Com
mittee on Ways and Means, we submit to our
readers the following important memorial.
Among the signatures are the names of mon
who have been long and familiarly known in
the railroad history of our country as shrewd,
far-sighted and successful engineers and
managers, and who are now the official repre-
sentatives of more than 13, 900 miles of road
and nearly 20, 600 miles of track. One of the
companies on the list will lay more than
81, 100, 900 worth of steel rails during the
present year. The appeal of such men for
the protection of American labor against the
deadly assaults of unscrupulous competitors
will command attention, and will doubtless be
read with some degree of surprise by those
who are ordinarily satisfied with the super
fetal theories of free trade, and do not
trouble themselves to look at important poll
tical questions under their practical bearings
Why should the Presidents of powerful and
wealthy railroads ask for an increase of duties
upon the rails which involve SO large por-
ton of their annual expenditures They
certainly have no desire to throw money
away, or to risk a reduction of dividends
which will create dissatisfaction among their
stockholders. Under the fierce competition
and continual pressure to which all our great
lines of travel are subjected in order to secure
a reduction of freights and fares, rigid
scrutiny into the details of every important
outlay becomes matter of imperative neces-
sity, and no excuse would be accepted from
any officer who would favor an unnecessary
increase in the running expenses.
But the management of railroad is not
limited by the mere interests of the moment.
The heavy expenditure of capital in construc-
ton and operation is made with view to an
unlimited future of steady and continuous
nd rnt111 lNa
policy to buy rails this year at q saving of ten
dollars per ton, if the purchase would entail
an annual loss of the like amount for ten
years to como. And this is precisely the risk
which the memorialists seek to avoid. They
know that the desire to "crush out" impor
tant branches of American manufacture is
chronic failing with John Bull as has beer
manifested, sometimes by direct threats
sometimes by actions more eloquen
than words. They know that when
ever the crushing out has been accom-
plished, the foreign monopolists havt
been more aerciess than harpies in thei
extortions. Thoy know, from their own bit
| ter experience, that the prices of iron rail
were never 80 unsatisfactory as when ou
rolling mills had been compelled to dismis
their hands and close their works, leaving th
! market in the undiaturbed control of tin
| European makers. They know that the en-
deavor to secure the largo trade Of the Unitet
Statos has often induced offers of rails q
prices below tho cost of manufacture, AM
that the low prices have led TO n correspond
ing deterioration of quality. They know tina
the safety Of travellers, and the liabilities 0
railroads for heavy damages in cases of acci
dent, render it desirable that rails should b
made where the materials used and the pro
cesses Of manufacture can be readily in
spected They know that it was impossibl
to obtain any reduction in the price Q
steel rails until steps were taken to establis
American works, and that, since the inaugurf
ton of home competition, the foreign maker
have reduced the price with ruinous rapidity
They know that three of the five America
mills have already been forced to suspen
operations, and that the others will soon b
obliged to follow their example if this rapi
reduction is not checked; but that, if rel
sonable time is granted, increasing experienC
and improved methods will secure cheape
and better rails than they could ever hope {
obtain from an unbridled and irresponsible
foreign monopoly. And knowing all thi
they wisely seek for the interposition Of Cor
gress, in order to secure such healthy comp
tition as will give them an uninterrupted SUI
ply of trustworthy rails at reasonable prices.
TO the Finance Committee OF the Senate OF th
Unitea States and the Committee Of Ways al
Means OF the House OF Representatives, U. s.
Gentlemen :-lmmediatel before the constructic
OF the first steel rai manufactory in this countr
foreign makers charged 800 per ton equal then
S225 currency for steel rails. AS American worl
were hut foreign skilled labor introduced, hon
labor instructed and domestic ir0ns clays. ganist
and spiege (after many and expensive trlas) -four
20 produce excellent rails the price OF the forell
article was gradually lowered until 1t now stands
less than SO per ton In gold (or sSoss currency