The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-02-13
The NEW TARIFF BILL.

"A PROTEST FROM THE IRON AND STEEL MANU-
TO BE SENT TO CONGRESS OPPOSING THE
MEASURE
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. IL 1875.
The Wood Tariff bill meets with special disiavor
among tho manu- iacturers OF Philadelphia and Penn
sylvania, aud this morning another organized aud
iormal protest was made against Its passage by the
leading manufacturers represented IN the American
Iron and Steel Association. special meeting
10 protest ~ Congress against tho adoption
of this measure was called for this morning.
and all manufacturers OF iron or steel wero
invited to DO present Tho attendance moderately
full Samuel j. Reeves President OF tho associa ion
presided over the assemblage and delivered long aud
exhaustive address dcnouncins the proposed modnca-
ton In the tariff laws in vigorous language He spoke
OF tho great depression which has existed in iron
trade said that now, just when there is prospect
OF better times ahead, Congress asked 10 pass law
that VIII aggravate the distress let ulI u1e
OF OWLS on the whole country. The tariff skctched
IN tho bill proposes 10 deprive vast num-
Der OF American citizens OF their vccations means
OF 'subsstonce4 taking for illustration your own
branches of Industry" ho said, at proposes to
diminish your production of iron and steel by subs-
tuting the manufactures OF foreign countries, TO be
mado by foreign people Tor their profit and Tor your
oss and that OF the men you would be glad to employ.
n
the substituted foreign ties may ada TO the
Uhi,ed states revenues through tho Custom House.
ARGUMENT BILL.
'You will nd that nearly tho entire Inst OF articles
you Interested IN Is placed under ad vaiorem
stead oil SPECIFIC duties. The value oil the imported
articles Is 10 be certified under oath, VINO does
not perceive how elastic that oath Will beY Perjury
WILL III former times. become respectable, because
II Will he proniable Slightly damaged iron, damaged
10 pass only Will BIO int oauced at large discounts
Its true value. Again, the pernicous feature oil I'D
valorcm duties puis the smallest mount OF duty on
highest duty when 1t Is dearest, which Is utterly
devoid Of sense Tor when an article Is at It's lowest
value 1t bear the highest rate of duty without
much enhancing It's price, whiie on the other hand
onerous imposition and subvcrsvo OF all seadincss Ia
vaiues.
'onc OF the odious features OF this bill is con.
TAFT cd In article 81 which the iron shipbuildng
tercst Is first uGectionatcy Rugged and tho
breath squeezed to death. You VIII observe that
now well established Industry Is rendered the Tree
portation Of iorcign iron and every other article
used In The construction and equipment OF u
ship-a Discrimination most monstrous, consid
erhg that large Investments In rolling mills
Tor making shaped iron Tor ships have boon
made, and that better material IN quality
\ nnd nnlsh turLed out hero than IN
kapy ioreign country, aud that thousands OF work
tnsmen are employed III supplying our shlpyards
VITA everything they need. Can there be any good
reasDn why constructor ol iron should b. per-
mi ted 10 import such materials Tree OF duty when
the builder OF house or bridge usiug almost the
same articles should DO required to pay dutyY Are
not all The citizcns oil tho UDucd States entitled to
equal privileges? THIS gratuily has OF bceu ask ed
Tor by any AIneric IN shipuuildcr John Roach would
scorn to ask huch lcsslatob OF the government; 20
would tue Cramps ana Harlan " HOLM ssworib.
have had from the mouths Of all OF them that lor-
iron is not good enough 10 put IN the ships that
they build Yet TINS bill, expressly made Tor the
eft o! foreign manufactures endoavors TO tempt the
builders oil American ships 10 use poor material
. cause IL will be cheaper Would this DO u proper
thing Congress OF the United States eucour
aye by iegislatiouY But, gentlemen, who VIII ny
American SHIPS when this Diil opeus the market 20
me Clyde ship lords Ihs entire snip viii COME IN
ture al--lree OF duty She VIII steam la Without
OF transportation, .or her inward cargo Will pay
that charge, and she will fly the American nag made
Of foreign DuDtiug."
The result OF tho discussion was that a long memo
rial setting forth ut length roasops why the propo sod
bill should not pass, TO be presented TO Congr ess
The memorial and u series OF resolutions were re-
icrrcd 10 committee Tor revision when tho meeting
\ A. jourLcd