The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-01-12

haustible supplies, into a material tho Increased
production OF which was prerequisite TO the gen
SIhl extension OF our industries and the mainten-
anee oi the dignity and rights of the nation, which
were then being violated by the armed cruisers of
IRON and Bessemer rails. And, sir, am happy in
being able to show that Il has accomplished both
years, 1t will While contributing largely to the re-
ductOn of our debt, insure us not only home
SpPRIy q pig TCT but such 81 ample mn means Of pro-
the worldin competition with England.
What has II done as a revenue measure? During
the year that ended on the 30th of june, 1863,
derived from this duty oil i09 96 in the succeed
ing year, closing on the Both of june, 1869,
S199562 90, and in the current fiscal year will give
US still larger income, without the slightest de-
gree imparing the revenue derived from con-
ton.
The Commissioner raises no question as to the
relative quality of British and American iron and
does not, as remember, state the quantity of our
annual production. He places the annual product
for 1869 at l72SOoo TONS or Just about $4,000 tons
That the average quality of American pig, bar and
railroad iron is superior to the average of the same
descriptions of English iron Is an almost uni
versally conceded fact; but to blazon this to the
world would not serve the interest of the Commits
eioner's British friends.
But though his report abounds in hypothesis and
calculations, based on estimates and suppostions,
he nowhere tells or attempts to tell us what we
would have been made to pay the British iron
master for his inferior pig, bar, sheet and rails If
mare tan since tbe IN estaplisbmept Of tbis
duty, and If the manufacture of cast steel and
Bessemer rails had not also been established at SO
many points within limits. He Is not ignorant
of the fact that in little more than year past
sixty-ive new blast furnaces have been erected,
and that they are to employ portion of the people
of fifteen States. These furnaces have increased
our productive power to nearly two million five
hundred thousand tons per annum. Arrangements
are also making the erection of more than fifty
other furnaces during the year upon whichw we have
Just entered, many of which have been commenced.
The estimated product of pig iron for this year is
two million two hundred and twenty-five thousand
TONS or about fifty per cent of the annual average
nd affaVn "a nrnaf
Thus 1t appears that, with production of less
than ten million tons for the worlds supply, no
large and immediate addition to its annual
production. The difficulties in the way may be
supplies of the richest primitive ores, but she has
no coal, and her annual production OF charcoal
function will henceforth be to mine and export
ore. Russia has ample supplies of ore, butt go far
as exploration has yet discovered is deficient in
coal. She can, however, for some time somewhat
augment her production of charcoal-iron. Austria,
Italy, Spain and the States of the Zollveren have
ore, but little coal available for ironmaking,
and are unable to extend, if they can main
tain, their present production of charcoal-iron.
France has neither coal nor ore sufficient to
supply her wants. England furnishes her with
one-third the coal she now consumes in the manu-
facture of iron. Little Belgium has both coal and
and they are advantageously situated, but the
field is so contracted that she cannot increase her
production beyond her own wants, and Prussia is
So much for prospective Increase of supplies;
while as illustrative of the growing demand, /
roads building in Russia and India, the latter at
immense cost by England in the hope of impairing
supremacy producers of cotton.
Hadwe continued to rely upon England for pig
iron In excess Of our capacity to produce it, at the
time Of fixing nine dollars as the duty and also to
draw supplies of cast steel and Bessemer rails
from her, the extension of our railroad system
must have been checked, and the per capita CEN
stricted. For nine years before the imposition of
that duty our annual production had been less than
800 900 tons, and that of England had increased
increases at the rate OF from 10000 to tons
and coal mines could the supply have been drawn?
Was there any charm y which @ an tp
way Was one, and that was applied 1t was such duty
as would give capitalists and men of enterprise a
guarantee that If they paid workmen fair Amer-
ing coal, ore and limestone, and converting them
into pig iron, they should not be undersold in our
own markets by the production of underpaid Brit
ish workmen. England has attained her maximum
productions while her increase since 1868 has been
scarcely apprecable, ours has increased about one
hundred and ten per cent In view of all these facts
think that 1t appears again in the matter OF pig
iron, it did in that of cast steel and BesSemer
rails that protective duty has not been, as Mr..
Wells asserts, tax on but boon to the American
have said that the report is devoted to the pro-
motion of the interests of England and her North
American colonies, and have, think, shown that
II its suggestions carried into effect 1t would
arrest the rapid increase we making in the pro-
ducton Of iron and steel, and remand us to COM
and faithess p rival. propose now to iilastfate
Mr.. Wells Palpable desire to promote interests
| of England's North American colonies-the New
Dominion, that asylum of foes in war and base
of Illicit operations against our revenue system in
| peace. Taking the leading staples Of the pro-
reasons for the removal of all duties from each OF
them.
| The principle articles the provinces export are
lumber, wool, coal, barley, and other cereals; and
from these he would remove all duties, though they
yielded during the year which ended June 80, 1868,
S4352,770 40 in gold, about six millions in cur
rency 1t is true some of the wool which contribu,
| ted to this amount came from other countries and
some of the coal from EDgland but in order to re-
store prosperity to the trade Of the provinces he
| other countries might share the advantage
Though very urgent that the duty should be
taken off Canadian barley, he makes no specific re-
Commentator as to the removal of duties from the
other cereals. He merely speaks OF the "extreme
| emergency" that can ''justify tax on the bread
| stufis and food of nation"
| Mr. Kelley here entered into an elaborate argu-
rnent to show that Mr.. Wells statements and con-
clusions the subject of the duty on coal are fall
| lacious and untrustworthy. He concluded as fol-
| lows
| Mr. chairman, permit me to reiterate the fact
that duties which to develop the resources of
| home competition, the diversfcationof of labor and
the opening of new sources of employment, and in
crease the general stock produced, are not taxes,
| even though they fail to reduce Immediately the
| price of the commodity which they are i'm
posed, adequate duties on cast steel and Besse-
mer rails have done. They are during the interim
| political Independence of the country, or may
| rather be regarded as temporary advance, to be
reimbursed in the near future by producing sense
ployment for the people at large, and an adequate
and cheaper supply OF better goods through the
| But such is not the case with all duties. There
are duties that are taxes and must remain so for
ever or into that far future whose possibilities we
cannot foresee. Such are duties imposed on COM
modities which we do not and cannot produce, but
which enter into the daily life OF the people, either