The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1882-01-06

, English and American ores Of iron cor
, tain these substances, the supply O
proper iron has boon a somewhat OK
pensive and troublesome matter tc
both English and Amofican Besseme
steel makers. Within a very recen
period, however, method known n
the "Gilchrist Thomas process" hal
been discovered in England whereby
at small expense any ore Of Iron car
be used for tho manufacture Of BesSe
mer steol md the United States has
boen also purchased by the American
Be@emcr Steel Association. Accord.
ing % the last report Of the Ansrican
Iron and Steel Association, July 1881
this new progress "has been successfully
adopted in nearly all the steel making
countries Of Europe" aud ''thas Eng.
land thus adds another to the list Of
her important inventions affecting the
manufacture Of iron aud steel" But
the United States alone of all tho steel
making countries in the world, has not
yet adopted this great improvement !;
aud apparently will not for the present.
For il is we'll understood, that "clsy0n
associates,' who own the patents for
the Thomas GilchriSt process" in the
United States, do not find it for their
interest, with the present ratio Of pro-
fits on the manufacture Of Besssemer
steel, to adopt any innovations and
that they further do not propose 10
issue licenses TO any body else to use il,
for any royalty which /. would be
possible TO pay. And thus in che name
Of Protection to American industry,
the march Of Improvement and the
cheapcning Of IA great necessity Of
civilization arc arrested.
We read in history Of examples Of
European morarchs granting to court
favorites and KEEP. mistresses exclusive
right TO deal in salt, gold lace, glass,
leather. and othor commodities, with a
view Of onriehing the recipients and
owners Of these privileges by taxing
the consumption Of the people. And
in all theSe cases the tax WAS purpose
ly made indirect so that the amount Of
the robbery should no, be really com
pretended aHd appreciated by the suf-
fercrs. Most people suppose that the
day for all this sort Of imposition has
long gone by; but il would be difficult
to End in all history single instance
Of 50 monstrous abuse Of the rights Of
the people to buy, sell, and use
freely, as il embodied and praetieed
under tho claim Of bsne6tting domes-
tic industry, by the American Bsssemsr
Steel Monopoly.
In the Arabian Nights it was nee
Sssary 10 tell thousand and one sto-
ries before the Sultan Of the Indies
could be persuaded Of the impropriety
Of cutting of wife's head every morn
ing before breakfast. The American
people have been 30 long imposed upon
in respect TO the workings Of he ex-
listing tariff and 80 as,idiously taught
to believe that continuation Of these
inpositions Is essential 10 the continu-
ance OF national prosperity, that pos
sibly they will require thousand and
one further illustrations Of the iniquity
Of tho Pennsylvanian system Of pro-
lection, before they be convinced Of
its impolicy, and wickednsss, and re-
form il out OF existence. But, be this
81 il may, ono would think that sufli-
cient evidence had been submitted to
satisfy the public that some important
measurea Of tariff reform ought to he
Immediately instituted and that it is
not necessary to have tariff commiss-
ion 10 find out how and whero TO be-
gin.
DAVID A. WELLS.