The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1871-04-08
The Salt Monopoly.

| From the New York Times.
| Salt Is AN article which all must use. 1t is 9
necessary OF lie almost As much a. air and water
IL Is found az mineral in many parts of the in
haoited world The great bulk Of the supply OF
salt Il, however, derived from two other sources,
VIZ: Solar evaporation of the water OF the ocean
and solar evaporation and boiling the water from
saline springs. Sea-wster salt is made in vast
quantities As various points in warm climates,
where labor is cheap. At most Of the salt ports
large stocks are generally on hand. which are
piled in immense heaps in the open air, the ON.
ly protection from the infrequent rains being the
crust on the outside OF the pile made by burning
large quantities of light brushwood on them.
thus 1t will be that cheap labor is the prin.
cIpal part of the cost of ait ut the places alluded
| to- Vessels frequently visit these places and
| purchase cargoes of the very best salt as low
AS four cents per bushel of about seventy pounds
weight Turks Island salt sells at the islands
Tor about nine cents per bushe, and this price is
about the highest ever paid for common salt, in
foreign countries, to be brought to the United
States. Saline springs are found in many parts
OF the world, and are quite numerous in the Uni
ted States. Previous to the war foreign salt was
admitted free of duty, or at a very low rate, aud
at that time domestic salt was made at the West,
and sold as low as twelve cents per bushel This
price paid a fair profit to the manufacturer. and
at this price it can be made and sold to-day. A
vast business is done in the manufacture Of sal t
In the neighborhood of Liverpool. England Soma
Idea of the importance of this trade NAV be had
by considering the fact that during the wear 1870
over GIL 900 tons, of 2,24O pounds each, were ex.
ported from Liverpool and minor ports on tho
river Mersey. Salt is sold at the works in Chesh.
ire at about four cents per bushel and brought
to Liverpool and delivered on board ship at cost
of about six cents per bushel. The man utactur.
OBLIGED IN inpur larua
buildings, steam, m 4chinery, coal, labor &c.. vet
the business is profitable, as is proved by tho
fact that it has been continued at about this price
OF salt for many years, and the product grsdu.
ally increased. Having explained this much
to your readers, some may inquire, why is it that
we are now compelled to pay forty or fifty cents
per bushel for salt: The answer is, solely on as.
count OF the existence of salt monopoly.
Through the influence Of the "Onondaya Salt
Company" OF Syracuse, n. y, the duty on salt
Is, and has been for years, eighteen cents per
hundred pounds when imported In bulk, twenty.
four cents when in sacks This duty amounts to
about two hundred per cent on the foreign cost.
The freight and other expenses amount to about
one hundred and seventy-f per cent addition.
al. So that 1t appears that the salt monopoly is
protected by duty, freight &C.. to the extent of
three hundred and seventy-tivs per cent on the
foreign cost OF this article, which We maintain
they can produce as cheap, if not cheaper, as it
can be made abroad, the differencel in cost
OF labor alone excepted. In proof Of this it is
only necessary to state that the salt MONOPOLY
have secured by legislation. entire control of all
the salt manufactured in New York State, with
the exception of a few hundred bushels wear
made at Montezuma, and pay the State the mere
nominal sum OF one cent per bushel for sinking
wells, supplying machinery, labor &c, and de.
livering all the brine which they use. They
have heaged themselves in with United
States and State legislation and grown immense.
lg rich. They sell their salt at different prices
In different markets tor the purpose Of crushing
oHt all competition and controlling the business.
They ship salt to Canada aud sell it there at verv
much below the prices which they compel New
lork state and the western trade TO pay The
New England fishermen are permitted by act If
congress to use foreign salt free of duty, vet this
salt monopoly ship large quantities east for the
purpose OF supplying this trade. Their profits
Sre so enormous that they can and do sell at sny
price which they may think necessary to dis.
courage competition from either native manu-.
tacture or foreign importation. For this satve
salt makers are anxious to bring about a repeal
of the duty. IN fact this salt monopoly stands
alone without advocates, except it may be the
chqses at Washington who are banded together
Tor loe-rolling purposes. The entire revenue
from salt has been IA follows:
1862 $ 3s029S 26 1867 .s1Oo347,s5
1868. l,O24600 90 1868 .... l,l36 800 ,6
1864. 9lo,J27 IS 1869. .... l,l7J s96 O3
800 ..... 100 e64 % 1870. -. los, Alb %
1866. 1,210,09G4l
From this to be deducted the cost of c,lec.
ton, leaving an insignificant sum as com pared
with the large amounts which the people are
compelled to pay by the increased cost Of the
artirle