The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1879-06-05
ONE SIDE OF PROTECTION.


The discussion raised over the purchase
bv Mr. Vanderbilt of his steel rails from
England has developed some of the beau
ties of Protection in connection with one
prominent manufacture across the lines
The duty on steel rails coming into the
States ought to be high enough to suit
anyone-beiDg no less than 100 per cent
With this duty imposed English rails
would cost Mr.. Vanderbilt nearly one
third more than American rails. But
there is this difference between them,
that the English rails are guaranteed for
ten years, and will last at least fifteen,
while the American rails are guaranteed
for We. So that the English becomes
very much the cheapest in the end. After
getting 1S0 per cent. more out OF their
customers than would have been possible
under free trade, the American steel rail
makers have to admit that they cannot
supply an article that will last more than
FIVE years. And with all the help Pro.
lection can possibly give them they are
unable to compete with the manufactur'
ers ofa free trade country. Al that Pro-
lection has been able to do for them has
been to help them swiDdle the railroad.
But the disturbance they made over Van
derbilt's "unpatriotic conduct" in buying
in the cheapest market has only thrown
light upon some of the lodges of protect
ed manufacturers. The steel'makers'
ring has been shown up by the New York
Post 10 the following quotation:
zone explanation of the high price Of
American rails is to be found in the fact,
not generally known to the public, that
the eleven steel rail mills in the United
States pooled So per ton on their product
and that whenever one of these mills
stopped running the others paid to it S3
ner ton on its productive capacity. The
Vulcan Mills a. ST Louis, with capacity
of so 600 tons, were standing idle, but the
stockholders received $3.50 900 per year
from the other mills, and were in no hurry
to start the works again. This So per ton
of course, came from the pockets of the
consumers The American manufaCtur
ers were protected by the tariff to 30
great an extent that they had believed
their control Of the market here was alb
soluLe, and in consequence they had not
tried to MAKE as good rail as they could.
Before Mr.. VdnderbilL's purchase they
we're talking of putting up the price Of
their rails to S45 or even $50 per ton at
the works, thinking thst this would be
enough below the foreign price and du-
ties to exclude English competition"
We have referred to this matter as it is
one of those especial beauties Of protec
tive tariffs which We may expect to see
in Canada before long. The Steel Max
ers' Corruption Fund was equal to about
ST. 100000 per anDum. With this they
,nuld strangle new competitors, keep
down the supply of rails keep up the
prices, and q -ece the consumers to suit
Lhemsel ves-- besides having plenty of
money to contribute to election funds
and to buy up Legislators. But the steel
makers are not alone. Rings of manu-
f4curers of all descriptions abound in
the United States, spending money liber.
ally for the same purposes as the steel
makers. And these same rings are al.
ready commencing their operations in
Canada /; and ere lOngtheV will be as ac-
tive Tor evil as amOnHOur neiHhbors over
the lines London. Canada, AdUr.