New-York tribune., 1870-02-02
PAJIPOADS-STEEL.

have been long and familiarly known IN the hah-
road history of our country as Shre"d' ia'
sighted. energetic and successful engineers anu
managers. and who are now the Oillcal repre-
sentatiyes of more than $1,000 miles OF road
and nearly 10000 miles of track. One Oh the
companies on the list will lay more than
s1 100000 worth of steel rails during the
present year. The appeal of such men for the
Protection of American Labor against 'ne
deadly assaults of unscrupulous competitors
will command attention, and will doubtless DO
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 po-
ltical questions under their practical bearings.
Why should the Presidents of powerful and
wealthy railroads ask for IN increase OF duties
upon the rails which involve so largo portion
of their annual expenditures They certainly
have no desire to throw money away, or to
risk q reduction of dividends which will create
dissatisfaction among their stockholders. I'm
der the fierce competition and continual
pressure to which all our great lines OF travel
are subjected in order to secure reduction OF
freights and fares, rigid scrutiny into the
details of every important outlay becomes
matter of imperative necessity, and no excuse
would be accepted from any officer who would
favor an unnecessary increase III the running
expenses.
But the management of Railroad is not
limited by the nero interests of the moment.
The heavy expenditure of capital in
construction and operation is made with
a view to an unlimited future OF steady
and continuous growth and prosperity. 1t
would be poor policy to buy rails this year at
q saving of ten dollars per tun, if the purchase
would entail an annual loss of the like amount
for ten years to come. And this is precisely
the risk which the memorialists seek to avoid.
They know that the desire to "crush out" i'm
portant branches of American manufacture is a
chronic falling with John Bull, as has been man
fested, sometimes by direct threats, sometimes
by actions more eloquent than words They
know that whenever the crushing out
has been accomplished, the foreign monopollsts
have been more mcrciless than harpes In their
extortions They know, from their own bitter
experience, that the prices OF iron rails were
never so unsatisfactory as when our rolling
mills had been compelled to dismiss their hands
and close their works. leaving the market In
the undisturbed control of the European makers.
They know that the endeav0r to secure the
large trade Of the United States has often
induced offers of rails at prices below the cost
of manufacture, and that the low prices have
led to corresponding deterioration of quality.
They know that the safety of travellers, and
the liabilities of railroads for heavy damages
in cases of accident, render it desirable that
H. l,o aIa ,rba motp
and the processes of manufacture can be
readily inspected. They know that it was iu-
possible to obtain any reduction in the price of
steel rails until steps were taken to estab-
lish American works, and that, since the inau-
guration of home competition, the foreign
makers have reduced the price with ruinous
rapidity. They know that three of the five
American mills have already been forced to
suspend operations, and that the others will
soon be obliged to follow their example If this
rapid reduction is not checked but that. if a
reasonable time is granted. increasing expert
ence and improved methods will secure cheaper
and better rails than they could ever hope to
obtain from an unbridled and irresponsible
foreign monopoly. And knowing all this, they
wisely seek for the nterposition of Congress,
will give them an uninterrupted supply of
trustworthy rails, at reasonable prices.
To the Finance Committee ofthe Senate ofe United States
and Ue Committee Of Ways and Means OF The House Of
Re3reseiItattres, U. 8.
GENTLEMEN odiatelyj before the construction Of
the first steel rail- manuactory this country foreign
makers charged $50 per tun equal then to s25 currency
for Steel Rails As American works were built foreign
skilled labor introduced. homo labor instructed and do
fic iron
expensive ria found to produce excellent rails the price
Of the foreign article gradually lowered until 1t now
stands less than 80 per tun In gold tor 500 currency
Now that several millions Of dollars have been expended
machinery furnaces and experiment In perfecng the
process of manufacture In this country aud numbers Of
our citizens dependent upon II for support the
business is threatened with annihaton by the pressure
of English and Prusslan makers We, Of Steel
Rails ransporters OF the food and material for Amer
lean manufacturers and their numerous employees and
skilled aborers do desire be dependent exclusively
Upon thB foreign supply and therefore join asking that
instead OF the present ad valorem duty specific duty Of
per pound be placed upon this article being
the rate fixed by bill which passed the Senate January
81 1861 and Of bill which reported to the House
by the COMMITTEE OF Ways and Means during the same
year provided that the Steel Rails contracted for by
Railroad Companies before Jan 1870. be permitted TO
the country at tho present rate OF duty for six
months after the passage Of IN art f1ng the duty as
herein petitoned for
JgDGAR THOMSON. Pres Psun w. c. LOsGsrRgTH Trn T.
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Hermann J. LoNBAsRT % A. COMFY, Prea North Penn.
ISAAC HiSckIsf Prs. p W. N P HUTCHINSON, Pre-. Cat.
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ROBKRT H. LAMB0RN, See and sp r. r. Asa. te
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GARDNER COLBY, Prea ST. G. DIR
D. r. r. Ie b H0oRHEAD, Pre-. n Y. Il.
Il NJ. RICE Vice Pres. st. c. Ll X
D. RR WIN J. PALMER Manager Of
nEsRr wooD, Pra BALI Cen Con.irseies K.s.' P.s h W
ual r. II. JOHN TUCKER yies.Prea Phil.
NATHANIEL THAyRA. Besen,l Rsaiug x. K
Mas WIN L. BANNING, Pres L. &. &