The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1880-01-29
The Iron and Steel Industry

The Iron and Steel Industry.
The Iron and Steel Bulletin makes the
following observations on the Covert bill to
reduce the duty on steel rails now before
Congress: "We doubt whether Southern
railroad officials fully realize the extent to
which the iron industry Of the South has
already been developed by protection. South
of the Potomac and the Ohio there are one
hundred and forty-seven blast furnaces,
thirty-eight FORCES for the manufacture OF
iron direct from the ore, thirty-six rolling
mills, and three steel works. Oar steel rail
industry consumes nearly one-third of all
the iron mined aud nearly one third of all
the pig iron made in this country. Shall
Southern furnaces and ore mines be closed !?
For the sake of the South itself we hope that
its leading men will thirk seriously before
they take any step that will strike at great
industry in which its own prosperity is so
deeply involved"
Referring to the insiduous methods now
being resorted to in Congress by the free
traders to assail the tariff laws, the Balti.
more American has the following remarks,
| which we associate W 18th the above extract,
as an appropriate commentary. The peo-
pie of the South will have to be aroused to
thought upon the subject, and especially the
people OF Virginia, whose mineral wealth
can only be developed through the agency
Of that governmental policy which protects
home industries. 1t is the most important
question that can now engage public atten-
| ton In the South, because the political edu i.
cation of the people is in sympathy with
free.trade notions. But they were incul-
Gated in slavery times, and now that that
peculiar labor system has been utterly des-
troyed, and our industrial relations changed,
different views must be maintained and p-ac-
tically enforced through legislation, to, con-
tribute to our prosperity. The attention Of
the Virginia Congressman is especially
called to the subject and warning sug-
gested that they will either have to abaCdon
their notions on the tariff laws, as recorded
on the salt question, a week Or two ago, or
make up their minds to surrender the posi-
|
going on in the public mind OF the South in
regard to the tariff, and Congressional rep
resentatives will have to recognize this
fact at once, and act in sympathy with it,
or be crushed by it. The american says
| More bills of this nature have been introduced
| in relation to iron and steel in their various
forms than relating to any other one commodity.
The one which is probably the most important
and the one which has the largest backing in the
hape of petitions is that OF Mr.. Covert, of New
York. 1t will be remembered that last spring.
when Mr. vanderbilt made large purchases Of
steel rails of English manufacture, it was charg-
ed that one object he had in view was Ito make I.
Covert Covert bill is IN reality MT. vanderbiits, and
the duty on scrap and pig iron to IS and on steel
rails from $2s to 80 per ton "all Of which. says
efit to railway corporations and manufacturers
il it becomes q law" The two arguments which
are expected to be potent in securing reduction
manufacturers have been making of late and the
fact that some hundreds of thousands OF tons
REQUIRED by the railroad interests during the
| present year. That manufacturers have made
vance. especially those who had large stock on
hand, cannot be denied But that stock is now
disposed Of; and, taking into account the advance
profits realized will not be out OF proportion, CON
sidering the demand for the articles they manu-
iron and steel interests have suffered more than
any other during the past six years, and that the
legislation proposed would deal blow to an
enormous and recuperating industry from which
| it could not recover for years. AS to the iron
and steel that will have to be imported, the ex,
corporations will have to pay will be decreased.
It is Significant fact however, that the day it
bin was before Congre ss the price Of steel rails
in the English market jumped nearly $l3 per ton,
and old rails, steel blooms, spegal iron, &C., all
Y al nrOnnrfinnalIV.
quinine trade since the removal OF the tariff on
that article ought to teach lesson In this re-
ed articles. As soon as the tariff was removed
the price advanced materially, instead of decln-
months it declined to what free-traders consider
ed its normal rate but it has again advanced to
regard to quinine, very inferior substitute is
| being imposed upon the public ana Is coming
very general Hse tis hardly to be
BY facts of this kind; but they should make
those congressman opposed to the. overthrow Of
ing invelgled into support of reductions and
additions OF duties In special cases. as well as
The shorts In the last Congress to secure
| revision Of the tariff under the management OF
Hon. Fernando Wood were SO abortlve that en- en-.
entirely given up. But it by no means follows
that the Clique OF congressional free.traders are
| inactive. The success which they attained last
spring in placing quinine on the free list, has
emboldened them to inaugurate sort OF guerrilla
warfare al along the tariff line b,;t Erom 9 leach each
| specific duty would be beneficial, numerous petit
lions are started, and. by request or otherwise
Maine and from Texas to Minnesota, asking
some special change in our tariff laws. Now it is
duty now WOOL here relief is asked on iron and
| STEEL there on some other commodity. Over
one hundred bills OF this nature have been intro
duced in Congress within the last two months
| and they seem hardly to have begun yet. Fortu-
nately the politca! aspect OF the present session
makes the leaders a little slow in taking hold OF
| these free.trade handles. for fear that begin
ming in this direction will lead to an amount OF
| legislation inimical to the m anufacturing and
| commercial interests of the country at large.
which might prove politically disastrous The
method of guerilla warfare which the free traders
have instituted is peculiarly dangerous one on
the congressional battle field. and congressman
emit system in its essential features must be ever
on the alert or they will find themselves led into
| an ambuscade from which they will not be able
| q hapshaZard one, but is carefully organized
and shrewdly planned attempt to undermine the
very bulwarks of our national prosperity. 1t pla-
| ces the tariff question rest where tie river and
| harbor improvement matter has rested TOP years
asks an for an
but a material benefit to q large section OF
| country; but Congressman B wants some funds
\ to distribute in some doubtful sections OF his
district. and has little improvement scheme to
meet the case while Congressman demands
100000 where $4,000 would suffice, and SO on
through the list; SO they are all Jumped together
and rushed through without careful considera-
| ton, the aggregate of the appropriations being
four or five fold greater than it should have
been. The plan by which the customs revenues
are to be attacked is the same. Not much alten-
| that some new bill Of the kind is not introduced
! and referred They are all carefully laid aside,
| and couple OF months hence will be brought
| out in lump aud be pressed for immediate
passage.
Judge Edward Hammond and Gov. VIM.
F. Hamilton, OF Maryland, were both in
Congress twenty-eight years ago, when