The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-12-07
TIMELY TARIFF TOPICS.
THE REPORT OF THE COMMISSION.

! VI
THE REPORT oF'THE COMMISSION,
Matters Of Special lntsrest 10 wheeling Manufat.
turts-The Accommodation Of the Cou,mls.
siou Ia Regard 10 the Iron, Steel,
Glass and Pottery Industries
WAHnSaroN, December G-The follow.
ing COMBINATIONS have been made from
those portions OF tho Tariff Commission re.
port which deal with metal, earthen and
glass ware, und wool and manufactures
thereof: .-.. a.. e.
i. Iron AMI, STEEL. tk., e
: The products OF the manufacturers in
this country protected by the metal
schedule represent in value over $GO4, ,00O,.
600, or Sl5O, 100000 more than the entire
imports Of dutiable merchandise Of all
kinds. The Commission recommends in
this schedule the abolition Of compound
and the adoption US far as possible OF
specific duties. Also, that tile rates on iron
and steel lie in the maiu concurrent;-that
is to say, so TINT the rates on manufactures
OF common Bessemer steel shall be the
same Ms those on similar articles when
made Of iron. The numerous decisions Of
the Treasury Department have been ex-
amined, and the clnnges proposed are in
conformity with the spirit Of the law as ut
present administered.
No radical change in the existing duty
on iron orc il proposed. The commission
recommends Il specific rate OF iiity cents
per ton, instead Of the present rate Of
twenty per centum nd valorem. The com.
mission recommends that ply iron and all
Kinds 4oi scrap iron, be classified ut the
Same rate Of duty, viz: three-tenths Of one
cent per12ound. It's. believed by the COM
mission that further reduction ofthe duty
Oh pig iron than that recommended would
result disastrously to that important indus.
Try. The large amount imported Inst year,
l520,lG tons), about oneeighth Of our total
consumption, shows that the present duty
Is not highly protective. The duty on i'm
portations OF pig iron in 1851 averaged
only 81 per ccntum ad valoreui. Z
A specific duty on steel ingots and steel
blooms, or what are generally known as
riail blooms, will settle the disputes (which
have. continued ior. years between the
Treasury Department and importers) re-
lating TO the clause under which they
should be classified.
STEEL. RAILS.
The Commission h,.s given special con-
slderation to the question Of the tariff on
steel rails The present duty has served
Its purpose ina protective sense. 1t is now
excessive and should be reduced. The
Commission, however, not only III the
spirit OF compromise, but from the convic-
lion that the maintenance OF our steel rail
works arc essential to the consumer con-
slders that the best interests OF all con-
cerned will be subserved by adoptin: the
rate Of duty named in the schedule, viz:
elght-tenths Of a cent per pound. The
adoption OF this rate it is believed will pre.
vent extr:'vagant advances in price. will
induce economy in the manufacture and
tend to discourage the erection OF works in
advance OF the wants OF trade.
Tie reduction Of duties recommended OIL
bar iron are rs great rs should be made,
ranging from 10 to 20 per cent. The ar
rangenent OF the classification is in the line
OF simpl,lieation. The Commission does
not recommend any material decrease in
the duties on sheet iron. On hoop, band
and scroll iron.a reduction is recommend
ell on the three classes of five, ten and iii.
teen cents per one hundred pounds re-
spectively.
For the purpose OF simplification and to
avoid the many complications that arise
from the difficulty i'll designating the exact
differences between iron and steel, the
Commission has placed iron and common
steel as far as possible ut the same rates. 1t
is II very difficult matter, in articles OF
hardware or in fine sheet iron, to distin-
eulsh, except by analysis, between iron
and common steel. The con,moner grades
OF steel are gradually beconiin. cheaper,
and there is reason to believe tllat in tho
near future the value OF Bessemer steel and
that OF iron will be identical. II il were
not for tbls fact, apparently greater reduc.
!ions could have been made upon iron; but
IN that view, and considering the differences
IN value between the the two metals to-day,
it WIS not thought advisable to bring the
steel down 10 the lower level.
NAILS AND SPIKES. -5f
Reductions are recommended on iron
and steel hardware, railway supplies, TOOLS
SAWS. nails and spikes; malleablc iron,
wood screws, iron and steel wires, tubes
and pipes, OF from 20 to so per centum.
POTTERY.
The Commission presents statistical ex-
hibits showing that in the manufacture OF
earthenware during the last decade the
capital employed has increased 20 per cent,
the wages 4G per cent, and the production
only 81 per cent, and in the manufacture
OF glassware during the same period,
the capital employed has increased 81, per
cent,'the wages 10 per cent, and the pro-
duction only D per cent, and the census
figures rs well rs all the testimony rcceiv.
ed indicate that these two industries have
not been very prosperous within the last
ten years. The Commission does not re.
commend any change in the duty on
oioWn eiu thenWulc hnu common stone
ware, as these duties are already considered
low, and the progress OF manufacture in
this country is such that Notwithstanding
the proposed abolition Of the duties on
packages, charges and commissions, it is
believed that the old rates will afford |
reasonable protection to the manufacture
here.
On white and printed earthenware and
on white and decorated china, porcelain
and arian ware, the Commission RECON- !
mcnds an increase Of duty in each instance
OF l5 per cent, and also change in the
wording Of the schedules, which it is 1be.
l!,eved is necessary forthe purpose Of more
clearly describing the articles subject to
duty. This recommendation rs 10 in,
crease Of duties is largely more anparcnt