The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1879-08-10
IRON INTEREST OPTHEPACIPIC

Hon. Henry 5. Fitch has writer
valuable article, 20 the san Francisco
Comn>rciai Airoc1te % the coal arc
iron interests ot the Pacific Coast. The
one on the latter .ubiect we reproduce
below.
The Pacific Coa-. has been for year,
supplied with iron and steel princi pail :
from foreign sources brought TO us By
foreign ships.
The tonnage Is perhaps little les.
during the last year than formerly, bu,
the annual supply from foreign source.
approxima.es 10 100. 900 tons. valued a,
about 81 90 900 Importations from
ths Eastern State, Of cur Union. not
dutiAble. amount 10 about 81. .Oc0. 600
The production from the Pacific Coast
mines. chiefly from the Oswego mines
in Oregon, last year reached 20 about
400 tons. valued at about $4,000. II
may be said that our iron interests. ex-
ten.ive aud valuable az thay are, stand
practically at zero.
Ia land where thousands OF labor.
ing arm. should find remunera,ive em.
ploymen., where capital should find
ready investment, where enterprise
should fiud an extensive and open field
for successful occupation under proper
protective system. the status OF these
great enonomc interests is held Ia a
para. ytic suspension. and the fraction
OF Industrial effor, IS inc nsi,tently held
in check, and the utilization Of these
stupeudous sources os wealth hsgrantly
iorestalied and prevented, at the
instance Of foreign capital and foreign
intrigue in our national councils, from
being developed.
The first Of this series Of articles. by
the uadersigned, has already appeared
sho wing very conclusively that the
great coal interest and trade" of the
Pacific Coast is threatened with sus-
pension.
1t is generally understood tha. coal
and iron ore are local ncighbors. and
that 10 supply and output they 60 to-
eether. Therefore, what shall affect the
trade III one Affects the other. and the
of these resources, their
production and profit. is made 10 depend
entirely npoh the protective laws
thrown about th 80 interest hy the
Gov. rumert At the present time. and
for long pen d in the past coal aud
lr,n have come to us in foreign ships,
supplied by foreign mines. and the
product of their sale carried to the
credit Of foreign venturer'. forming III
Itself = vast sum. inu'ing 10 the benefit
OF IL people absolutely opposed 10 US
and our institutions
Without taking into account these
which are, perhaps, only
rational and natural. it may be we'll to
consider the economic side Of this qnes-
liou. and whether it is the part of wis
dom for this Government to continue
the present system.
If the expression Of some radical
thoughts shall develop some radical
truths these articles will not have been
written in vain think it quite safe
to declare that we lose more by this
foreign suppl, of coal and iron than the
sum We pay for them, There is no.
thing psradoxial in this assertion. as
shall be explained.
lst. We pay TO other people sum
which enriches them IS. 500. 900 for coal
and iron. This sum. saved by our own
is so much gain and added
wealth to the nation.
%. Were this sum paid to our own
producers and ship-owners. it would
become distributed among our own peo-
pl-jand reproduce property in the build
ing of ships. iron works. rolling mile,
opening other deposits of coal and iron.
houses for tho opulent.
houses for the skilled and uDskilled
laborer, adding 10 the wealth, tue
property comforts. and the revenues Of
the commonwealth.
ID. These articles produced and de-
liyered by our own people, do not cost
the nation any snm whatever; obtained
from foreign sources. more than is paid
for them is lost Produced by ourselves
the right hand transfers TO the left
hand, keeping the body in . healthy
state Of employment; procured from
other nations. the circulating medium
money the vitalizing current of the
body politic-is drained, and to the ex-
tent of such loss the productive powers
of the State are weakened and made TO
suffer
Domestic production means endless
prosperity, diversified
happiness. wealth and
Importation means loss Of cost. para
lyzed industry. capital and labor unem-
ployed. suffering, misery and discon-
tent, as q natural aud never failing con-
sequence.
There is more to be learned upon tho
question OF national economies than
appears in the political economy Of the
trading classes or the sinister dogmas
Of marine trsnsportstion princes.
Natural prosperity must be built
upon broader plane of advantage than
the carrying trade. international ex-
change Of commodities is only desirable
when ali the available resources of
g country are fully developed aud
and prof,ably utilized. whereby the
excess Of production may he exchanged
for articles needed. and not produced in
sufficient quantity. To this exten. only
are foreign imports admissible under q
wisely administered Government.
But it is to the iron interest Of the
Pacific Coast tha. l would at this time
especially direct the attention Of those
who desire tho advancement of our To-
cal interests-,he Industrial progres,
OF the State, the expansion OF our com
merce aud trade. and the enduring