New-York tribune., 1884-12-18
A SERIOUS QUESTION,

| What the effect of tho Spanish treaty may be
upon some industries it is difficult to determine.
But there is no difficulty whatever in deciding
that it would bo beneficial to one interest. The
Bethlehem and Pennsylvania Steel companies
would undoubtedly find it highly advantageous ;
whether it would be equally advantageous 10
other companies engaged in the same branch or
manufacture, or to the owners or miners of iron
In this country is not so clear.
The two companies mentioned are the owners
of tho Juragua Iron Company, which has ac-
anircd valuable mine In Cuba, and 1t IL un-
dcrstood, has completed arrangements to supply
these companies with Cuban ore. The expert
cncod and shrowd managers of these companies
have not entered into this business blindly, but
have investigated with care. tested tho orc
thoroughly, and know what tho cost of prodnc-
ton and of shipment to this country W i'll bc
They arc 40 we'll satisfied that they have not
only invested In the minc but built railway
for delivery of the orc ut the seaboard, and pro-
vdcd steamers for It's swift and cheap transpor-
tation TO this country. They expect to be able
To supply their wants, and possibly the wants or
some others who may purchase from them, at
cost much below that of the Spanish orc which
Ia now delivered in large quantities mt onr ports
and Mt 80 low cost that II il used by manlliac-
turing establishments "a far west ~ Pittsburg
in preference to any American ore that IA accos-
sible. Yet the Bethlehem and pennsylvania
companies, in making these calculations ana
| this large Investment, were not reckoning upon
a removal of the duties, but, on tho contrary,
| upon paying tho present duty of 10 cents per
ION n IL quite clcnr That 10 them n trohty
would bo highly advantageous which would
enable thcm 10 import any quantity oi ore from
| cuba 10 this country without paying any duty
whatever Tho two companies rhh cohaiiIhb
| about 700. 600 tons of ofa removal of tho duty
would be worth Rh91.oDo yonr 10 them To
! that extent. aud IN that respect unqnoaiionably
the treaty would bo helpful to u branch of
manufacture,
At tho same time, it IL matter of somo doubt
whether other companies which are engaged IN
the manufacture of iron and steel and are
! obliged to compete with the companies named
would find it altogether helpful to have these
strong and energetic companies supplied with
ore free of duty, while, if Others import, not
owning mines in Cuba, they will be compelled
! To pay the duty of Is cents per ton. In Ike
| manner it may be- doubted whether the treaty
would prove altogether advantageous to the
owners of mines in Pcnnsy lyania, in Virginia
and West Virginia. i'll w-Jcrscy New \ ork
| and Connecticut, inasmuch aS these mn0
woudnot have to supply 100000 tons OF ore to
these companies, and would be compelled to
compete with the ore supplied to the market
| from Cuban mines free of duty. AS for the
miners. if Congress can find timo to consider
their interest at all, it may perhaps appear that
Mt this period of depression il would be some-
| what trying to them to subject them to direct
| competition even terms with tho LABOR OF
slaves and coolies in Cuba. There are great
many mines and grcatmany miners, therefore,
rs well as Il great many manufacturing cstaD-
lishmcnts and workers therein, to whom this
| treaty appears to be matter of considerable
| interest Undeniably it offers advantages par
ticula,ly to those who have bought the valuable
mines above mentioned. But it is also unde-
niablc that the treaty would affect some other
people nlurioIsly, and it would be wise to con-
! slider whether the interests Of the country as a
whole would be helped or harmed by the intro
ducton of free foreign ore for the benefit OF the
companies which have invested in Cuban mines
During the last fiscal year the imports of iron
ore amounted to 55:j. SOC tons, of which over
two-thirls was from Spain. But there IL no
known limit to the quantity which cDld be
brought i'm from Cuba. if this Nation should pre-
fer to encourage the peculiar labor OF that island
rather than the labor of its own miners.
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One Of the most melancholy results of the present
o,,t;u oC husinpss is the SUSPENSION of all wOr,-