The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1870-02-25
4 NEW PHASE or THE CUES
TEON.


= Tho World gives now phase Of the
tariff question in it's application to-
railroad iron. ono that Is curious, sug-
gestiyo and serious. tt shows that
American rails have an advantage
ovor thoEnglish manufacture, through
tho tariffand charges for transportation
Of some 60 per cent. which it illus
trates as follows:
Duty on ton Of 2,24o lbs at 10 cents per
loo lbs, $500
Freight and chafges, l7s. Cd. per ton gold. 424
Totai.,.,........ 1892
To oil ordinary methods OF calcula-
ton. this would seom sufficient to sat
isfy tho demands Of tho most oxacting
protectionist and to secure tho Ameri-
can manufacturer against any competi-
ton from abroad. II docs nothing Of
the kind. And this is one OF the most
astonishing of tho tariff phonomcna.
So far as logical deducticns go, the
tariff advocates have the best OF it,
Nothing further seems possible TO give
the iron lords perfect immunity. With
an advantage of nearly $40, per ton Of
iron, costing in England only s32-70in
gold. tho thing Is accomplished il hu-
man calculation can.do it. But tho
logic of facts, illustrated by figures Is
overwhelming. However mysterious and
perploxing thoy may be. they are inoxor-
able. The facts arc tha. tho impor-
tation Of this kind of iron, so far from
being entirely destroyed by this tro-
mondous protection has steadily increas
ed; that during tho ton months, ending
October 1869, wo imported rails to the
value OF 81 ,s3s. 494. or nearly double the
amount imported during tho samc pc
Rod for tho year previous, which waa
81. .s77 800.
So we SEQ that as protective meas
ure tho tariff utterly failod. This il
curious. and not only curious but sug-
gostivo.
But while tho tariff wholly failed to
keep on increasing quantity of English
rails from being laia IL succeeded in
very materially reducing Inequality d
those rails. The duty Of 4s per cent
upon every pound Of iron used in tho
manufacture of the rail was suffi.
cient inducement to make tho rails
light. A London iron circular, which
Is quoted from says on the subject:
"whiie English companies only bay guarantee,
rails. or ihoss rolled fFe=g-s spseiasa plll
the great kalk II Anefiean rails are, In the con
tract phrase. "oEdinary Brio rAils," which hav
proved ordisary saosgh besides, lhs weight .
rail commonly In use In Ame5ca compared wiz
Engiish rails double heads average ~ lbs. pe
yard), is unfayossbis 10 durability "a . ecuss
qurnoe, cali has aTiren for better article. W
hare been particularly eonesrusa In answsrip
ton"
The inevitable inference - thai hu
man life is endangered "bartered away
to crafty the greed of thu Pennsyl
yauia iron lords, that nonopolies ar
built up and fostered at the cost Q
broken limbs and destroyed lives il
more ways than have been dreamed @
in Prof. Perry's philosophy. The live
that have been lost and that are dali
endangered through the use Of thos
inferior rails, form very serious fea
ture of this As per cent. tariff. BY thi
sort of traffic, the Aonopolists. who's
welfare Congress has SO closeat heart
gain many millions. Now what d
the people gain? Thetruth is the tari
is On oppressive and wicked pervel
sion Of legislation.