Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-02-07
Aancastcr f1ltelligellrer.
WEDNESDAY EVENING. FEB z. iss
Free Ores and Scrap Iron.

tells Succinctly the WEOiS tluLH, do VIII
be recognized by all who are acquainted
with the matter. He says that it is the
interest Of the iron manufacturer to
cheaper the cost of iron, and that he
stands in his own light in demanding a
duty upon iron ores and upon scrap iron,
which but goes to increase the cost of
iron to the consumer without benefting
the manufacturer. The iron ore that IS
imported at a cost of six dollars ton
would be imported cheaper but for the
duty, which is tax for revenue only,
and as such should be agreeable to free
traders rather than to prOtectiOnIsts. "A
like quantity of ore would be imported
with or without duty: because it is OF a
quality needed for Bessemer iron not
found in sufficient quantity here. Native
ores, with an ocean dividing them from
foreign ores, will always find sufficient
protection for their production in their
proximity to the home market and the
cheaper the ore to the manufacturer the
better, of course, IS it for his business.
The producers of Bessemer ores in this
country, who want tariff on foreign
ores only TO increase the large profits of
their mining operations, have seemingly
been sufficiently influential to induce the
iron manufacturers not to resist their
efforts to increase the cost of the ores
with which they supply them. 1t is the
consequence Of the fact that the manu-
facturer, while demanding protective
duty for himself, feels himself restrained d
from opposing the demand of other in
terests for protection. Allthe industries
seem to feel that they live in the same
house, and that it IS too fragile to per-
NIT any throwing Of stones by any of its
inhabitants. But the ore producers
have clearly no business to crowd them
selves in among industries that tie
country, for its own interest, may be
asked to protect by an import duty.
Mr.. Hewitt shows that the New Jersey
magnetic ore, which is as rich as any i'm
ported, is sold at four dollars Il ton.
Cornwall ore, which is of equal richness,
is sold at about the same price. We
know of no ores iii the country that COM
mand greater prices than those Of Lake
Champlain, Lake Superior and the Iron
Mountain, and magnetic ores washed
from the sands of the sea shore, all of
which cost the consumer anywhere from
eight to twelve dollars 4 ton, and all of
which could be profitably produced with
outa duty on foreign ores.
Mr.. Hewitt warns the pig iron lnanu-
facturcr that the competition he must
count upon henceforwarl is t'.ltss which
he finds aJ home, and which 10 t.,riff
can help Kim to bear. II is Inevitable
that the development Of transportation
facilities will cause tile deveiGpIe ert
of co lvrniently located o.G.5 md fucl,
and that furnaces located where the Clt =
ment;S of their manufacture are dear u! e
doomed to suffer tie extinction Of their
fires in competition with such as have
cheaper elements. Labor, raw matrri-
ais and transportation Of product are
the elements entering into the cost ui
pig iron. Where large supplies q; the
raw materials are produced close {: y the
furnace mouth, and wii?ie labo- is cheap,
rs is the condition Gi things in many
parts OF the country, especially in the
Southern states, there remain but the
better facilities of transportation t.
market to protect many Old furnaces
from the competition of Ecw ones and
this protection is rapidly slipping away
from them. Ii beilCOveS them then 70
cheaper their raw materi;sl5if if tl,ey would
stay in blast. and they of all men should
be Iuudest in the demand for free ores.
No foreign pig iron will ever again, pro
badly, enter our ports in competitions
with iron of like quality nf home make
Iron is now produced in Many To-
calitieS in the South at a cost OF twelve
dollars a ton and rs the number Of
these places is constantly increasing, it
is a reasonable expectation that Tie price
of pig iron will tend steadily downward
from TIE current quotations. The
movement has begun, and while it may
be interrupted by Temporary iiurlies Of
higher prices it will not be possible for
such ilurries TO be of any duration.
Mr.. Hewitt claims that it is also the
interests of tie pig iron maker that scrap
iron shall enter free of duty This is
not so self evident proposition rs that
he advances concerning ore for scrap
iron is worth to the bar iron manufac-
turer just about six dollars ton more
than pig iron and takes the place of so
much pig iron. Yet Mr.. Hewitt is
probably right for scrap iron is used in |
with the puddlel pig iron.
and to help out the product of the latter,
which often is not produced in sufficient |
quantity for its business by the mill.
Cheap scrap lion is a benefit to the mill |
owner and to the iron consumer; and,
even to the pig iron maker.
who is interested in the prosperity Of
the mills that are customers for his rro
luct.
SENATOR: WALLACE has introduced a
Dill into the Senate, which the judiciary
committee has favorably reported, carry
ng out Judge SharsWood's plan for re.