New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-10-23
THE CONFERENCE ON STEEL.
GATHERING OF IMPORTERS AND AMERICAN MAN

UFACTURERs AT THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUSEl
WASHINGTON. Oct 22-There a very in-
portant conference at the Treasury Department to-
day, the result of which will be vital TO an impor
tant branch of the manufacturing interests OF this
country.
Foreign manufacturers of steel are reducing their
metal to what are called blooms" that Is. into
masses in a condition ready to be turned into rails
and they are doing il on 50 large n scale that the
blooms are imported into this country at n lower
price than they can be produced here. Steel blooms,
as they are called, arc not enumerated in the tariff
schedule. being a recent product of manufacture.
Under a ruling of Assistant Secretary French,
some time ago, they have been recently imported
as manufactured steel. Under this decision the
importation of steel blooms has become a profitable
speculation, and a large number of New-York inn
porters and iron-brokers have entered into it, much
to the detrlment Of the iron-mining and steel
manufacturing interests of this country.
Prominent manufacturers IN the United states
have appealed from the ruling of Judge French.
They insist that steel blooms should be enumerated
rs manufactured Steel or steel partially manufac-
tured because they IN fact. requiring only one
process convert them into bars rails for Tine
question being very vital one to the manufactur
ing interests, Secretary Sherman sat with Judge
French during the argument to-day. There were
present, on the one hand. several New-York I'M
porters, who brought a lawyer. Mr.. c. c. Beaman,
with them to do their talkingi and on the other
hand, Mr. Morrcll Of the Cambria Iron Works, Penn
sylvana, Mr.. O. w. Porter, of Chicago. Mr. Shnn, of
the Vulcan Iron Works of st. Louis, Mr.. Kennedy,
Of Philadelphia Mr.. Leith, Of Joliet, ILL.,. and Mr..
Hunt. of Bethlehem. Penn, representing the steel
interest Over $50, 900 COO Of capital invested in
the manufacture of steel represented.
The argument to-day was chiefly upon the cassi-
fcauon of steel blooms in their relative place In the
tanff schedule. The importers claimed that blooms
should be admitted at the same apprasement as
raw steel or ingots The manufacturers. on the
other hand argued that they should be classified
partially manufactured steel, from the fact that
they have already passed through several processes
of manufacture. and are within one process oil what
is admitted to be manufactured steel.
The importers laid great stress on the fact that
the Government would lose 100000 in duties if
these blooms should be appraised, as the manu-
facturers demand. and they made personal appeal
10 the Secretary not to order the classification
changed. because they have already entered into
large contracts based upon the rate of duty they
are now paying, aud will lose money If the duty IL
changed.
The manufacturers. through Mr.. Morrell and Mr..
Porter, met them with IA statement wing that
100, 900 labOrug men earning So. 600, 600 year
are employed IN this country in the manufacture Of
steel blooms, and every man of them would he
thrown out of employment if the Government
should decide to admit these blooms at the same
duty as manufactured steel. These men are en-
gagged in mines blast furnaces and converting
works, reducing the metal to this condition and II
is now more profitable under the ruling of the De-
partment TO import steel in this shape than To re-
duce 1t. These lahorers and their earnings, Mr..
Morrel and MIR. Potter argued of more impOr-
lance to this country than halt n million dollars in
dniies and few thousand dollars out OF the
pockets Of the importers. Nne-tenths of all
the labor In the manufacture of steel
Ii spent in reducing the metal to the condition in
which il Is known as blooms; and n the Secretary
of the Treasury should decide that blooms not
subject to the duty placed upon manufactured
steel, nne-tenths of the labor involved in TINS in
terest would be suspended, and the blooms would be
imported from Europe