The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-02-01
Gen. Malone on Ores.

In the Senate of the United States. on Tues
day, the 23d, General Malone spoke with an
eye single to the development of our infant
mineral enterprises and the good of the State
He said:
"Mr. President, the question before the Sen
ate Is as to the duty on iron ores, and the
proposition is at what figure shall the rate be
fixed. Shall it be arbitrary, or shall it be in
equitable proportion to that fixed on the man.
utactured product? Shall the rate give the
same protection to the miner as is given to
the forgeman, or shall it violate an honest and
generous application of the principle OF pro-
tectlon,and be laid in the single interest of two
certain steel and iron manufacturers
Mr. President, heretofore iron ores have
not been specifically enumerated in the tariff.
They have been admitted under a general
clause covering crude minerals not otherwise
provided for at rate of 30 per cent ad val
orem, equal to 56 cents per ton specific.
ut was not anticipated that iron ores would
become an item OF import to any material ex-
tent, and yet we have seen that within the
past few years the quantity imported has in
creased from 284 900 tons in 1879, to 1888 900
in 1881.
Ihese foreign ores come mainly from the
mines in Spain and in Africa, and are taken
quite exclusively by the steel and iron works
on the Atlantic side of the Alleghanies, while
the like manufacturing works west of the Al
eghanies are supplied from our own American
mines, whose capabilities are equal to every
demand of the steel and iron works of the
country in quantity and kind
Some of these works have gone to Spain
and to Africa tor large measure of their ores,
not because equally desirable ores were not
to De had here, but for the reason that they
could be had there at cost below that which
IN o. nY1r nt1y min
Some of the mines of New Jersey and New
YORK were last year not worked for the want
OF market, while our Eastern lion and steel
works We're importing foreign ores.
Inese important industries have had all
tne While generous measure of protection,
and the theory which justities the fostering
care That has wisely been extended to that in
terest cannot fairly be denied the iron-ore in
terest OF our country. 1t directly represents
american labor, which we would aim to p lace
mere at home upon fair terms of competition
with that OF the world
In Spain. where the wages do not range
higher than 45 cents per day, it costs about 80
cents to mine a Ton of ore, and here, where
Ihe wages range at about $40 per day, it
costs, say in New York and in New Jersey
$3.50 per ton.
I'm this basis and the proposed duty of so
cents per ton, you give 10 the foreign labor
protection OF 62 per cent, and If you would
extend that ratio to the American miner the
duty should be 81 80 per ton.
10 the manufactured article everywhere
you give ample protection. On pig iron you
impose duty OF So per ton-at the average
value of ores they compose flll one-thrd the
cost at pig-and if you would equalize the
duty that on ores should be put at $2 per ton,
specific, certainly, when the ores imported are
OF the class necessary in the manufacture of
Steel, and when you remember that the duty
hxed on steel ingots and blooms is 1914,
While that on steel railway bars is put at