The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-12-08
.. SOME STRUCTURES y
On the Tariff c0mMission's Rcport-A
Cleveland MANS Opinion.

CLEVELAND, December IA reporter
called upon Mr.. George II. Ely last even-
ing and asked for his opinion on the report
OF the Tariff Commission in regard TO iron
ore. II will DO remembered that Mr.. Ely
rc.d paper before the Commission when
twas in this city.
at was expected" said MIR. Ely, "that
the Commission would respect the views
Of the Cresson convention In that respect.
This convention, you know, was held at
Cresson, Pa, and was represented by 90
l00lbs OF all the iron, steel and ore indus
tries Of the country, in order that tho views
Of MI might be Obtained and presented 10
tho commission. When the manufacturers
Of iron and steel, who consume all the ore
Of tho country. agreed unanimously upon
II rate which they thought iair and reason.
able It would naturally be supposed tllat 1t
would be about right. The iron md steel
manufacturers at the Cresson convention
recognized the necessity Of
DEVELOPING THE one INDUSTRY
Of this country to the fullest extent, and
voted to tix the rate Mt 81 II ton, the vote
IS to 80. This WINS subsequently
reduced 10 s. cents Il ion ,by unanimous
consent. With the iron and steel interests
80 fully represented, it was pretty good
proof Of what they were willing to hive
the rate and whit was thought to be right.
The consumers OF American ore ngrced,
with the exception OF two Eastern rail
manufacturers, that s. cents per ton was a
proper rate, and II wis generally supposed
that the commission would abide by thut
decision in making their report"
"There is quite Il difference between the
rate reported by the Commission and that
suggested by the Cresson Convention, is
there not?" asked the reporter.
"Tbe Commission reported in favor Of
placing the rate at fifty cents per ton,
which does not satisfy the ore interests.
ltis notin proper proboftion at MI to the rite
Oh many articles OF iron and steel. Iron
ore is just us much Il product rs any other
industry, and should be as well protected.
People speak Of the expediency of having
RAW MATERIALS ENTERED FREE,
but that should not apply to a material
which is 80 widely produced. or course in
.
cases where the raw material for man uiac.
t,ning industry is not obtuinable here or !
cannot reproduced i'll sufficient quantities,
lhen such foreign raw material us is nee.
essary ior the support Of manufacturing
industry here should come in free. Take
Tor example, rubber. The material for its
manufacture cannot be obtained in this
country nnd subsequently, should come
III Tree. Coal has been protected by Sl,5O
A ton, and building stone i'll like
in order that the resources
might be sufficiently developed. Why
should ore not be equally protected"
is there any necessity OF bringing ore
from foreign countries in order 10 meet the
demand 7" inquired the reporter.
"Ihls whole country is practically Under.
laid with ore. There is no need whatever
of any importation when nearly very DOR.
lion Of the country produces it in such vast
1t is not true that there is not
All abundant
suprLY OF nEssEMEH ORE HERE,
Is has been claimed by Bessemcr steel
and that it is fayorably dis.
:ributed. Every ton OF foreign ore brought
IN displares so much American ore, OF
which there is an inexhaustible supply,
md also ,displaces corresponding amount
'f American capital and labor which is re.
lulred to produce the ore. There we're
nearly 100000 tons or Spanish and African
2re brought here last year The doctrine
hat raw material should be admitted free
or at Il low rate does not apply to iron ore
or the reason that the country is so full OF
t, and mining Of it for the iron and steel
industry is essentially
A GEEAT SArlOSALADvASrAGE,
md the policy Of the country should DO
c. o.devclop to the utmost capacity our raw
materials" 10
"Doyou think Mr.. Ely, that the report
II the Commission will be accepted ?"
u think that there will be very strong
opposition to the acceptance OF the yute
proposed by the Commission. l 10 not
link that it will be accepted to the rcpre.
entatives ofany oi the ore producing dis.
riots OF the country. Not only will it be
objectionable to the Lake Superior ore
district, which completes with Canada, but
more particularly by the New York, New
Jersey and Virginia ore producers. TLors
y vast amount Of capital and labor re.
lulrcd, to produce the ore, and that should
'e rs thoroughly provided as the capital
md labor OF any other industry"