Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1883-03-29
Protection That oppresses.

rue Amer can sentry.
Copper, either by itself, or more o
less alloyed with zinc or tin, and com
monty known as brass enters into o.
wholly constitutes almost innumerabl,
articles in constant use in every house
hold in the land, and hence any cxtor
ton connected Herewith lends to op
press ami impOyerish every person il
the country, and thus becomes th,
concern of all on their own account Il.
well as that of others.
The Calumet and llecla copper mine
of Lake Superior turns out an amount
OF smeted copper approXimating 2,0OC
tons per month, costing the company
not more than eight cents per pound,
packed in casks and delivered in this
city. and it is sold here in large lots at
an average price of about eighteen
cents Per pound for cash on delivery,
and this mine alone can increase its
output TO an extent that would furnish
the entire quantity required for supply
ing our whole country.
In addition to the Calumet and
HecIa, Other copper mines In the Lake
Superior region turn out vast duauti-
ties OF almost pure native copper found
in nuggets, sometimes weighing hun
dreds of tons each.
Aside from those of the Lake Su-
pcrior region, other very rich and ex-
ten,ive copper mines that are cheaply
worked are found in other parts of the
country those in Arizona being of re-
mrrkab'o extent and richness.
Under these conditions, it would be
only reasonable to expect that copper
would be sold TO our manufacturers at
prices far below those prevailing in
Luropc, which draws its supply (olhcr
than from this country from mines
that, ~ a rule, are greatly inferior to
ours in richness, purity of product and
ea9a of working.
Hut such is not The case; and strange
rs It may seem, "ihc copper ring" Of
this country sells nillions Of pounds Of
copper delivered in Europe at price
several cents per pound less than that
at which it will sell to home purchaS.
era and to prevent the coppcrthus sold
abroad from being returned duty free
il in the original packages for II c use .
OF on manufacturers, special agree
wcnt binds the purchaser 10 prevent
II.
Thus the protective duty OF five cents |
per pound ON imported copper enables
the copper ring TO eXtort from Amcri-
can manufacturers very much higher
price for American copper than that at
which the combination finds ii profit
able TO sell it delivered in Europe.
Nor is there any possible ground for
that the tariff, in this case, in
any way serves to protect American
7ir"" gopher produced here is
proHtably sold in = foreign market in
with the foreign product.
The fact that American copper is adj
Y sold abroad to the extent
Df millions Of pounds every year. pre-
'ludes all chance of impur'Hirns from
Europe even in case Ut tlcre being no
aritf, and proves beyond all question
hat the addilonalprice above that rul-
ne abroad, which the tariff enables the
copper ring to cXtOrt from lis for the
'rodu"t of our own mines, is nothing
ess than tribute LEVIED upon Aincri
'aus tor the benefit Of the absolutely !
lsclcSs and intXcu,able monopoly ,
bus established, and that enables the :
'alumet and Hecla company to pay +
i've per cent quarterly dividends. a
There is no one in all the country n
bic to escape this cXIortioh, since !,
very article into which the use of +
opper enters must contribute ts !,
uota. II
And last, but not least, it, practical n
:, shuts out American manufacturers I
'om competing in foreign markets for n
le "ale of brass goods, so largely ex- II
orIcd years ago, by enabling their II
,reign competitors TO buy the crude h
Material "copper" at five cents per n
Dund les, than our manufacturers 9,
iust pay for it, thus dwarling and -,
'ippling our industries while laying n,
pom lis II mOnStrouS tax for the almost M
benefit Of ring. 4, IL