Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1870-01-21
IRON m PENNSYLVANIA.
TFron The st. Louis Demoerat.l

From the st. Louis Democrat p
The Pennsylvania ironmakers asser
that It costs them over $50 a ton q
make pig iron. There is something
very trying to the patience in thil
shameless disregard Of facts by greedy
monopolists. They know, these sanI
ironmakers, that according to thel
own testimony ia 1866 il cost tbeu
less than $50 a ton to make iron 10 1861
how much less they did not state
Works published in the interest Of the
iron association have admitted however
that iron was then, aud since 1853
made for SIS ton in that State. Goa
and ore are far more abundant now than
they were then, and can be
mined at as little cost. With gold al
81 20, pig iron can not actually cost
more than S18 ton in that State, and
every cent above that goes to some
monopoly, either of coal OF iron.
But We are willing. for the sake Of
argument. to accept the statement Oi
the iron masters, that 1t costs $29 q
ton to make pig iron ia Pennsylvania
Nov, pig iron Of as good OF better
quality is produced to-day ia Alabama
for SIG, in Tennessee for S19. in Brazil
Indiana, for about $22, in Chicago and
Milwaukee for $23, and Ia st. Louis, In
spite Of statements calculated to drive
people to make iron elsewhere instead
of here, it can be and is made for a
great deal less than the Pennsylvania
men pretend it costs them. Therefore
we ask, why shall the United States
protect men ia making iron that costs
(they say) S29 a ton, when If they were
not sustained In control of the market,
men would be attracted to make irOn
elsewhere at cost of not more than
S202 What is the sense Of protecting
Pennsylvania In supplying the country
with costly iron, when Alabama,
Tennessee, Indiana, Wisconsin or
Missouri can supply the country with
cheap iron What is the justice Of
retardiDg an industry elsewhere in or
der to keep up a Wasteful employment
of labor and capital in Pennsylvania ?
Does Congress propose to legislate for
Pennsylvania alone, or for the United
States
The duty makes all iron cost to the
manufacturer $37 to $40 ton, when ii
that duty we're rem owed the Pennsyl-
Vania people themselves confess that
they could sell for $50, and tits known
that other States could supply iron for
$25 or even $40. One hundred and
ninety thousand persons engaged in the
manufacture ofiron in 1860 Eust be
burdened in order that nineteen thous-
and men engaged in making pig iron
in 1869, may realize profits Of s. to $40
per ton. Is that protecting American
industry? Is it well for the country
to pay seven millions a year to Europe
for iron rails, il order to pay a bounty
of from sixteen to forty millions Of
dollars to q few iron makers2 These
same rails 60 into railroads, of which
we built 600 miles last year, and theV
cost eighty dollars a ton, whereas rails
could be made in this country for less
than fifty dollars If iron could be had
at Alabama or Tennessee, instead Of
Pennsylvania prices. At one hundred
tons to the mile, our railroads last year
cost us $40, 100000 more than they
ought for rails alone, and the profit on
that sum the people will have to pay
for all time to come in the cost Of
Is il well for the coun-
try to make the wheat worth less to
the farmer, and the -four to cost more to
the consumer, for all time to some, for
the sake of giving the iron makers of
big profits, and enabling
them to retard The development of re-
sources of other States?