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-
FACrURERs OF PHILADELPHIA-A MEMORIAL
TO BE SENT TO CONGRESS OPPOSING THE
MEASURE.
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. II, 1873.
Tho Wood Tariff bill meets with special distavor
among tho manu- acturers OF Philadelphia and Penn
sylvania, aud this morning another organized aud
formal protest was made against passage by the
leading manufacturers represented In the American
Iron and Steel Association. A special meeting
~ protest " Congress against tho adoption
OF this measure was called for this morning,
and all manufacturers Of iron or steel were
invited to BIO present. Tho attendance was moderately
full Samuel J. Reeves President OF tho association,
presided over the assemblage delivered q long aud
exhaustive address dcnouncng the proposed modnca-
ton in the tariff laws in vigorous language He spoke
OF tho great depression which has existed in the iron
trade and said that now just when there prospect
Of better times ahead Congress Is asked 10 pass n
that VIII aggravate tho distress aud mi multitude
OF OWLS on the whole country. The tariff skctched
IN tho bill proposes 10 deprive vast mum.
Der OF American Of their VACATIONS and means
OF 'subsistonccA taking for illustration your own
branches of Industry" no said. at proposes to
diminish your production Of iron steel by subsli-
tuting the manufactures Of foreign count ries, to DO
maio by foreign people Tor their profit your
loss ana that tue men you ud be glad to employ
And Tor what purposcf In order, IL IS SAID, that
the substituted foreign commodities may ada TO the
United States revenues through tho Custom House.
AN ARGUMENT AGAINST THE
'You will ind that nearly tho entire Inst of articles
you Interested IN is placed under al vaiorem in-
articles is to be certified under oath. ana VINO does
not perceive how elnst,c that oath Will bep Perjury
Will, IN former tunes. become respectable, because
II will be profitable. Slightly damaged from damaged
10 pass only, Will DO int oauced at lSrge discounts
It's true value Again, the perncious feature oi I'd
valorcm duties puts the smallest amount oil duty on
the Imported article when II Is cheapest ano tho
highest duty when II Is Dearest which Is utterly
devoid of sense, Tor when IN article Is NJ Its lowest
value 1t can bear the highest rate OF duty without
much enhancing us price, While, on the other hand,
TO Increase the duty advancing price 10 an
onerous imposition und subvcrsivc OF all stead,ncss
vnlues.
some Of tho most odious features OF tins bill 10 con-
TAFT cd In article 81 IN which the iron shipbuding
tercst Is first nlecuonatcly Rugged and in tho
breath squeezed To death You VIII observe that TINS
estabshe Industry Is rendered the Tree I'M
portaton o iorcgn iron and every other article
used In the construction and equipment oil
ship-a Discrimination most monstrous, consid-
erlLg that large Investments In rolling mills
Tor making shaped iron Tor ships have boon
made, ana that better material Ia quality
and nnlsh can 10 turLei out here than IN
any iorcign country, and That thousands oil work
q nfnen are employed ~ supplying our h'pyarda
treason Why constructor o iron ship should BE- per
, mi ted 10 import such materials Tree oi duty when
!, thc builder OF house ora bridge usiug almost the
same articles should be required to pay dutyi Are
not all the citizens OF tho uDned States entitled
equal privileges THIS gratuity has bocu asked
Tor by auy Amerc N shipDuildcr John Ronch would
scOrn 10 ask huch esslatloh OF the government; 20
would tue Cramps ana Harlan * HoIliurswortb, /
have had II from the mouths Of all OF them that for
iron is not good enough 10 pat IN tho ships that
they build Yet tins bill, expressly made Tor the
eft o! foreign manufactures eDdoavors to tempt thc
builders oil American ships TO use poor material
. cause IL will be cheaper Would this DO u proper
thing Tor the Congress OF the Uned States encou,
aye by legislationy But, gentlemen, WHO viii tuy
American SHIPS when this Dnl opens the market 70
the clyde ship lordsg The entire ship will come IN
hun, machinery, anchors, rigging, upholstery. furni-
ture aud al--iree OF duty She VIII steam IN without
cost OF transportation, Tor her inward cargo Will pay
o foreign buntin.."
The result OF the discussion was that a long memo
rial setting forth at length roayons why the propo sod
bill should not pass, IL 10 be presented 10 Congress
The memorial aud "a series OF revolutions were re-
iefred TO committee Tor revssion when the meeting
a lourLcd