The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-19
The Secretary of the Eastern Iron AssOcia-
tion Gives Mr. Hewitt Little Light
on an Important Subject.
How Mr.. Manning Spoiled His Chance
to Secure a Seat in the House.
Another Sample of Mr.. HOlman's Cheese
pairing Craftsmanship Letter Of
Thanks from General Sherman.
THE TARIFF QUESTION.

and Labor.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.
| WASHINGTON, Feb. 1&-Whether the dis
cussion (by the House committee ways and
means) of the tariff question just now avails
anything or not, so far as change in the laws
are concerned, it is bringing out some very
interesting facts relating to manufacturing and
labor. The investigations that have just closed
on the subject of wool and woolens developed
that the parties most interested in the matter of
protection are the laboring people-tbe mill
operatives-and that the man who works the
machinery and does the manual labor comes up
with the proprietor and capitalist and asks that
our industries be not put upon a level with
those of foreign countries; that our poor people
in factories be not made the galley slaves of
SPAIN England, ETC. 1t has been demonstrated
during the past week that the whole laboring
masses oppose any further reduction upon our
manufactures or articles that enter into them.
| Of the many scores of thousands Of laborers
that have been represented before the commit
tee on ways and means in opposition to the Nor
rison bill not single laborer or person author
| lied to speak for labor has spoken for it. This
appears to be the most serious aspect of the
tariff problem, it is said in the mind of Mr..
| Morrison. He has sufficient encouragement
from the politicians of his party, but not scin-
tilla has come from the laboring masses. 1t is
safe to say that fully enough laborers have been
represented before the committee to control the
balance of political power They all opposed the
Morrison horizontal bill.
| Some interesting facts were laid before the
committee yesterday. Representative A. Herr
Smith, of Lancaster, Pa, district, talked to the
committee about restoration of at least some
of the old duty on nickel He represented
county, he stated, in which were the only nickel
mines in the country. From them the govern
ment secured the nickel for nickel coins. The
old tariff may have been too heavy-he would
not say it was not-but the reduction made was
so disproportionate to that made other ar
ticles that the mines were compelled to Close
throwing out of employment $50 or 275 men.
Chairman Morrison remarked that he had no
doubt that the reduction of tariff nickel was
too heavy. but if you have been mistreated,"
said he, 'it was by your party, and l am
not willing to rectify the blunder."
Mr.. Weihe, the well-known labor-protection-
ist, spoke for labor. He said that our iron and
steel industries were running now on the very
closest margins that they could exist upon, and
that any considerable reduction of the tariff
would close all the principal institutions. I'm
the name of all the laborers of the country,
raise my protest against the passage of the
Morrison bill, said he; 1T will ruin the great
manufacturing industries which keep up this
country to its present high standard"
Chairman Morrison looked hard through his
glasses at the speaker, reflected seriously, but
said not wold.
William Martin, of Pittsburg, secretary of the
Iron and Steel Association, said that decided
preponderance of the iron and steel interests of
this country, both employers and employees, pro-
tested against reduction of duties on iron ore
and its manufactures He stood ready to warn
the committee against the result that must fol-
low disastrously upon the heels of the passage of
the Morrison bill. He was there to substantiate
his assertion if any one wished to cross examine
him. No one availed himself of the opportunity.
W. E. Smith, secretary of the Eastern Iron
Association, and an intelligent speaker, was ex
amined rigidly by Mr.. Abram S. Hewitt, of the
committee who is extensive dealer himself in
iron ore Mr.. Smith said there seemed to be
some doubt in the mind of the committee as to
whether the capacity of the American iron mines
was sufficient to supply the American demand
He thought there could be no doubt in the mind
of any one conversant upon the subject The
Bessemer mines of the East were alone sufficient,
he thought, to supply the general demand. He
thought the question of protecting our iron ore
was simply one of protecting American labor, as
the price of iron ore relied altogether upon the
price of labor. Ore in the ground was of merely
nominal value. The cost was in getting it above
ground.
Mr.. Hewitt wanted to know what the ore was
worth delivered on the Hudson river. Mr. Smith
replied about So ton.
"How much do the foreigners charge for their
ore delivered at the same placel" inquired Mr..
Hewitt.
about $4 90" answered Mr. Smith
',Ahl" calculated Mr. Hewitt. 'Now. want to
know" said he, imagining that he had struck
leader for free trade, chow imported ore at
81 so can run our own ore out of the market at
$3"
Because" said the witness, "the foreign ore
has much higher per cent. of iron, and it is
much cheaper at 81. so than ours is at $3."
"Well, how can they produce the ore so cheap
ly9"
''With pauper labor-by paying their men 40
cents day instead of 81 LAO"
Mr.. Hewitt and Mr. Smith had sharp tussle
over the question of transportation of ore from
foreign countries, Mr.. Smith contending that
ore was often shipped to this country as ballast
at very low rate, and that when we had cheap
wlpeat we had cheap ore. Mr. Hewitt said he
never heard of but one cargo of ore coming over
from Spain or Africa on ship sent out with our