New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-02-13
OPPOSITION To THE WOOD TARIFF

MEETING OF THE AMERICAN IRON AND STEEL AS
soCIATION-sPEECH BY SAMUEL J. REEVES.
PROM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRBUNEl
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 12.-The American
Iron and Steel Association held meeting to-day, for
aly 10 protest Congress agniDst the passage OF the
proposed Tariff Bill now under consideration In the
WAYS and Means Committee. and to concert measures to
secure its defeat reported to the HOUSE. Inc meeting
which was private was called to order at 10 a. m, and
b,s remained in session all day. Samuel j. Reeves, Of
the pnonixyie Iron Works, president OF the meet
ing and delivered this afternoon, very able ADDRESS
Among other things, he said:
This hill which was ncucaed in secrecy, came iCT:h
full hedged few days ago, complete III a its Pf Th
like n bird OF l-omen ready to rend and destroy; Inc
subcommittee of Congress completed lle oi ,h
rads OF The country least four successive ears
the Industries you are engaged IA nave DeIn ~ ~ it,
normal dInensons more than Onehalf OF all the past
furnaces, rongmills and FORCES are saq bars been
thrown OF employment. The great paray II, III IN
Whole civilized world seems to the of crmina-
ton, and everywhere the prospect OF better tnes n po
ginning dawn. Under such conditions Congress Sisn
should ever be ready to alleviate the condition OF tne
American people. Is pTOposlrga measure WHICH
into law will inevitably aggregate the distress when
has so long existed Such tariff is sketched IL tns
bill proposes further deprive vast number OF AheI
can citizens of Their yocatonS and means OF subsistence
Taking Tor Illustration your own branches o industry
proposes to diminish your production OF IRON ahd seer
manufacturers by substituting ire inannactWes on .o.
eisI countries To be made by people living IN ioregi
land for their proand Tor ySnI ioi Ken Ta Won are
that nearly the entire st OF Ht,icus III Whc 1850 Da
interested placed under al vaotem instead OF specnc
duties The value OF the imported articles IL 20 ne ceI
fled under oath, and who does not see how elastic mat
oath NAV be; Perjury will, IN former times, necohe
respectable because It WI DC pTolt9De vi s'n p at
one value in New-Y0rk and at another IN bostol;;
5ny to pass viii be introduced at large discount on s
rnC valrc. the rerncious al vsl0rm auues aGt "ou,
mt lie smallest OF duty on the imported article
when II is cheapest, and the highest duty when IL Is
dearest characteristic utterly devoid OF sen'e Nu
fgal. NJ
IT can bear the highest rate Of duty Without much en-
hanring Is price whlo the other hand TO increase
sition and subycrsiye OF al stcaduess III values.
One Of the most odOus features OF the bill Is contained
IN article 81 in which the iron shipbuildng interest IL
first af"ctonatey Rugged and then squeezed 70 DEATH
dustry rendered the free importation OF foreign IRON
and every other article used IN the CONSTRUCTION
nna Ganp"eG5 Gi 9hat large nTctmeSs
IN rollins mills for making shaped iron Tor ships nave
can BE- turned here than in any foreign country ad
that thousands Of worknen are employed IN supp lng
shpyards with every thing they need hVs ~ rom
the mouths az John Roach, the Cramps ara haian ana
oHgswoTtn thht i ,bc i% i oi Te d " Slip viii
come In OF duty She Will steam into our ports VIII"
ont cost OF transportation, for her inward cargo WI" pay
that aud size will hy The American ndS ado u
foreign bunting
About fifty repro sentative of the iron trade were
at the meeting. Among them were T. Clifford Smith, OF
thc Union Iron COMPANY Of Buffalo, n. y. the Hon
Holm Rogers Of the Rogers Iron COMPANY, at Black
Brook ~ y; b. W. Van Yoorhs, Of The Manhattan
the Cleva'amd Rolling Mill COMPANY. New-York $. ~
Feton Of the Penney wanna steel Company OF Phalel
pima; Joseph Wharton or the Bctbeb"n IRON CJhi.
pany. Of Philadelphia W ID. Wood. ot the N!ckrsspo!t
iron Works of P;isburg; David Ihome+ OF me lhoh"s
IRON Company Of ioSendapqga, Penn; q. W. barr OF
the Crescent steel Works, OF PtSbaFs; anu D. l. h"'
lev from the jersey City Wheel Foundry.
AZ this evenings session committee OF revision Ter
recel memorial De presented to Congress. TINS
memorial ombOdirs strong ava elaborate LInur'i
against the passage by Congress OF the Wood flr' b
Expresses renewed confidence IN The entire Vision 81
c present protective policy, and assigns ioiciDe rrd
so why the present rates OF aTt should mol be us
urbe IL further points the disastrous consegucu
ces which w0ald result from ini'ricrcuco %'th
me present system. l. argues that tie adDp-
iinu Of the wood Tariff Bin would
undoubtedly result in closing American factories idi
nlcc. mills and workshops. II expresses de~.re mat
Congress shond pass julcou' la~ providing Tor the
establishment lines ot steamers ana sailing NcsseIs
between the principal ports oi this country ana h"re 81
her countries with which titfc L. Ut present no ft-
commercial iutrrccurs ih'S m,moi Iil VIII ne PFC
,.ut.d 10 CONGRESS ut carly date by COMMITTEE hp.
pointed for the purpose from the American Iron ana
steel association.