The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-02-12

jobbers of iron. Among the most note
worthy changes proposed in the tariff
on this class OF goods are the follow
ing
Articles
Iron. Present duty Proposed duty.
Pig ~ ton, n ton.
Bar (eoarsej..~... te. PB, .eFlb.
bar thn0ls....ss...4 l'sc. y 10. lc. v W.
wire. .'''-.'''.''.'"t ,. e. nj. Wi. t'c. *b'
Steel manufactures A. per cent. M per cent
Steel rails .ss..a..... Rs = ton. si5 Y ton.
Iron rails ........... IA " ton. 10 " ion.
lead. ..s.4......ss.. 2ae q W. &C. n.
Copper. ........+.4... &c. v h. ~. v IL.
Of iron and steel. ut John and Cliff
streets, said that, so far as no had OK
amined the bill. no was convinced that
1t was a step in the right direction. II
passed. 1t would have no immediate ef-
feet in general, but all importers. he
thought. would read 1t with delight, be-
cause It opens the chance TO again do
mn importers business. The price Of
iron In this country whs so low that
English producers could not manufac-
ture the same quality ut the same rates.
Iron could be laid down on the decks in
this city ut q cents per pound, while
the same grade of English manufacture
would cost nearly one-half n cent more.
Although there were some grades Of
"extras' for which this reduction would
open the way, Mr.. Oothout did not
think American manufacturers had any
reason to fear from the reductions. The
tariff would still be prohibitory, and
foreigners could not compete with
Americans ut the present prices.
Mr.. Oothout thought it would be n
benefit in making Americans more care
ful in regulating the cost OF their pro-
duction. A great deal Of money had
been wasted In this country which q wise
economy might have saved. There had
already been an improvement in these
respects in consequences Of the panic OF
1878. The present duties on English re-
fined bar iron. which Is subjected to the
lowest rates, give protection, with gold
at t13, Of s22 IL per ton to American
iron. The rate under the proposed tariff
when the duty was "a per cent. nd val0r-
EN-, his house imported from 5000 to
10, 900 tons Of bar iron annually. In the
last two years his firm had imported al
together less than fifty tons, owing to
the prohibitory rate Of duty. In regard
to Swedish and Norway irons, which
had always been imported for the finer
classes Of work, he thought the change
would be benefit. 1t would largely In
crease the consumption, and make q
reduction OF from 81 20 to SIS per ton.
A member Of the firm Of Phelps,
Dodge n Go. said that although he had
not carefully examined the bill, he
thought 1T would give more revenue and
be less burdensomc to the people. The
increase in the revenue would come
from articles which were now very little
used. The trade would be benefited
generally, and on the whole he did not
think the manufacturers would be in
jured.
A representative Of Pittsburg man
ufactory said he thought the bill, II
passed, would only add fuel to the flame
In aggravating the financial depression
OF the country. The average reduction
on steel was between rs and 30 per cent,
and its result could only be to work mis-
chief. He thought the bill would fail To
pass, and that 1t was an attempt to gain
favor from taxpayers and the poor
people.
A large importer of iron and steel
thought the effect would be good The
present tariff was too high. Iron was
now 80 low here that very little more
would be imported. Bar iron to-day
was nearly as cheap in Pittsburg as In
England. The proposed reduction on
steel and iron rails would do no harm TO
home industry, because they could not
be imported even ut those rates. The
effect would be mainly felt In an in
creased importation OF q few high priced
irons.
In the dry goods trade comparatively
little interest was manifested. The
opinion generally prevailed that the bill
would not pass. One gentleman said he
had no faith In the party that originated
1t, and felt 1t was only q political move.
At the office OF II. B. Claflin II Co., one
OF the firm said the bill would have
depressing effect. Business men would
be afraid to make any ventures! There
was no danger that the law would pass.
The measure was purely political. A
large linen importer said that free trade
must come some time In this country,
as it had In other countries. He thought
the less said about the proposed changes
in the tariff the better, for 1t was purely
o political movement. It was conceded
that the tariff needed many changes,
and several persons said that reduc-
ton Of forty per cent ad valorem upon
silks would not only benefit the import
ers, but would yield the Government
greater revenue than the present rate OF
sixty per cent.
Daniel G. Robbins, OF the firm Of
McKesson Il Robbins, OF No. 81 Fulton
street, said that this tariff, 80 far as it re-
lated TO the trade In drugs and chemi-
Gals, was very great improvement on
the old one. A great many crude drugs
had been placed on the free list. 1t also
reduced or disposed Of the duty on o
great many medicinal and technical
chemicals, such as quinine, meleurials,
borax, etc. The most important chemi-
Gals used in the arts that had been placed
on the free list were cauStic soda and
bichromate Of potash. He wished the
tariff had been reduced on the whole line
Of oils which were recognized as crude
materials. Castor oils would be free :;
that would change nothing, as home
products had been selling for less than
the duty, which Is now more than pro-
hibitOry.
It was proposed to reduce the tariff on
linseed oils from thirty to twenty cents
per gallon. It still would remain great
monopoly. England ships linseed from
India and presses out the oil, which to
them is a waste, for the cake, which is
used as cattle feed. 1t was preposterous,
he thought, to protect a hOIna industry
against foreign waste product. The
intent OF the new bin was to simplify
the collection Of the revenue and to aid
in the development Of general rather
than special manufactures, He did not
think the amount Of revenue under this
new bill would vary greatly from that
under the old. He did not think the
new tariff would be adopted without
some changes. The country was being
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