The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-01-05
a sta.ure af nellef .nat !. Nee.leI.

Aswas noted in our dispatches oil Satur-
day, q memorial has been started by the
Presidents Of the railroads centering at
Chicago, praying Congress to reduce the
duty on steel rails from S2S to $40 per
ton. It Is to be hoped thai this memorial
will receive the early and favorable con-
sideration Of Congress. The duty on steel
rails Is responsible at thisrime for the ex-
cessive advance in iron, as result OF the
TACT that the Bessemer Steel Works have
largely absorbed tho red short ores
Of the country. This excessive I'D
vance in iron, by reason Of this
absorption, has stimulated large i'm.
portations Of iron and iron ore to this
country. The rate Of duty ($2s per TOM
is simply ridiculous, and gives to the Bes-
semer monopoly rate OF profit out OF all
proportion 10 the general profits Of the
manufacturing business OF the country.
The full text OF the Chicago memorial is
rs follows:
To The Honorable, he Senate and Tie AOm%
Of Representatives Of The Unitoi States in Con.
grsss Assembled: The undersigned respect
fully represent 10 your hoporable body:
That BY the net OF Congress which took
effect on January |, 1871, the duty on i'm.
ported steel rails was made specific at s2S
The ton in place Of tho previous existing
duty OF As per cent. I'D valofem.
That this duty was placed at an extraor.
dinarily high rate, not in consequence oil
the high cost OF MATERIAL or tho want OF
skilled labor, but Tor the purpose OF ex.
tending m exceptional protection until the
manufacture OF steel rails, then In its in
fancy In this country, could become sYs.
tematiaed, and placed on firm basis.
That during the nine years, since the
act OF 1871 took effect, the domestic manu-.
facturers have had ample opportunity to
systematic their business and place It on
a firm basis.
That since the act Of 1870 took effect, the
cost OF the manufacture Of steel rails in
England has fallen as low as 500 the ton
against S55 when said act took effect; that
during the same period there has been a
similar decline In the cost OF their manu-.
facture in the United States In consequence
Of which the specific duty now imposed
considerably exceeds the cost OF manuiac'
turs In England, thus making the ad
valorem rate OF protection nearly three.
fold that existing when the act Of 1870
took effect.
That the manufacture OF steel rails In
the United States should no longer re.
celve exceptional protection, but only
such as Is accorded TO other industries.
That tho internal commerce OF the coun.
try has been created, In great measure,
by It's railroads, without which the pro.
ducts OF the interior would have little
value; that the commerce, and with It the
general welfare, is promoted in ratio 10 the
reduction that Is made in charges Of trans.
portation, and that the use Of steel in
place OF iron rails will still further reduce
such rates.
That a healthy foreign competition,
under system that will afford adequate
protection to the domestic manufacturer,
Is necessary to secure high quality OF
rails, whether Of domestic or foreign
manufacture.
That In consequence Of the present ex-
cessive duty, the United States are with
out any considerable revenue from the
importation Of rails at the same time that