Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1870-04-22
rRoTEcrIoN-MAILRoADs.


Ninety-6ve railway Presidents have peti-
toned Congress to protect the manufacture
of steel rails. They ask that duty of two
cents per pound be laid upon all imported
steel rails. No more significant petition
nor more powerful argument has ever been
presented to Congress on the subjects af pro
lection. Railway Presidents understand
their business. No better trained, souuder
reasoaing, nor more careful set of men can
he found than the men who manage our
railroads. They know what is to be the ei-
ect Of the action they ask. Thev have
carefully eounusd the cost, and their peti-
ton saws as plain as words can make il, that
it is cheaper and better for them to buy
american made steel rails than to import
them. Free traders will no doubt declare
the action Of these railroad Presidents the
most extreme folly, and declare that they
could buy foreign rails much cheaper But
railroad men are not to be deceived By shall
low sophistry They know that even il
they do at first have to pay few cents more
per pound on American rails, their
manufacture makes 40 amount Of bushes,
for the railroads that far more than pays
the increased cost of the rails. They also
know that foreign manufactures would ouly
sell them rails at redaced rates until they
could break down our manufactures, and
that after that they would be at the mercl
of these Foreigners aud would have TO pal
much more than the two cents per poun,
extra that they nov propose as duty oi
the imported rails When men of the IN
teIigenee, ability, and experience of thes,
ninety-fve railroad Presidents deliberately
ask that a fixed, specific duty shall be laiC
upon commodity that they use constantly
20 the amount of millions of dollars per yea
for the purpose Of protecting the home
manufa cture Of that commodity, such peti
ton not only demands and will receive
respectful hearing, but carries with it
weight of argument that seldom accoupa
MES buncombe petitions. These men know
that the receipts and profits of their road
depend upon the prosperity Of the country
they also know that that prosperity is bes
promoted and preserved by doing our owl
manufacturing, diversiiyiDg our industr!
and giving our farmers good and permanen
home markets, and our day-laborers al
abundance Of remuneratiye employment
How this is to be done thy have said il
their petition. To show their faith in wha
they profess they ask the tax to be lai,
upon the commodity of which they are th
only purchasers. IF free traders aud tbei
silly theories are to be believed, we hay
here the astonishing spectacle Of ninety iv
men equal in ability, experience, intelliEcnc
and sound judgment to any equal numbe
of men that can be found in the world, en-
gagged IN a single business, deliberate
asking the government to lay upon then
and their business an oBerous and burthen
some tax. Such absurdities do free trader
preach and expect sane men to believe
Men Of intelligence and experience reasoi
better and cannot be duped By such shallo1
sophistry These railroad men are wild
awake to their own pocuniary interests an
their action is taken after careful delibera
ton and large experience They represen
the one interest that more than any othe
has built up the prosperity aud caused tn
rapid progress of our nation. They Knor
that their own prosperity can only exis
with the prosperity of the country. The
believe that protection to American labor
the only method of securing permaner
prosperity and they attest their faith b
asking that protection be given to the yer
article they are obliged TO buy Such argr
ments supported in such style must settl
the question with all who, will listen
reascn.