The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-12-18
THE SPANISH TREATY.
SonTHwEsTERN ORE MEN OBJECT
To Allowing CnbaA Ore 20 10 Admitted
FREQ Of DutJ-The EIar,lshIpsit Would
Work to Home Producers-Capital 4.
nnd Labor iut crested About II,

CLEVELAND, o., Dec. 1.-THE following
are the main points Of memorial to the
Senate adopted to-day by tho Iron Orc
and Transportation men against tho ratiti,
cation Of the treaty with Spain. The un.
dersigned, representing the iron orc pro.
ducing ind transporting interests oil
the Northwest, call attention to the
terms proposed in the treaty with
spain affecting the American orc
production. Tho duty on iron ore
Is now scventy-nve cents ton, insuilicie mt
ior reasonable protection 10 capital NJ I'd
labor engaged in the development Of our
American mines and In tho extensi, @
transportation Of their products TO fu,..
naees. Under the present duty wc an Z,
Obliged to compete with some Of the poor j.
est paid labor in tho world. In Spain and
Africa, Spanish and African ores arc pro-
duced at labor cost that would be humili-
aiing and oppressive 10 the last degree
TO the American laborer. Even now hur>-
dreds OF thousands OF tons annually dis
place tho products Of our American mines,
Under this treaty iron ore is on the FREQ
list. Cuba has extensive and valuable de-
posits OF orc and within year or two
large Investments OF capital have been
made for their development. The admis- ,
sion OF these duty free us provided in the
treaty would be 4 gross injustice and injury
to the homeproduction. Should temporary
or local advantage thereby be gained by
two or three iron md steel manufacturing
plants favorably situated near the At
lantic coast for the use Of these Cuban
ores, that could only operate to the injury |
OF al! western and northwestern iron and |
steel interests. Iron ore is produced in |
every part OF our country. The product |
last year was not less than ten million
tons. Engaged in this business is vastcapi-
tai, and hundreds ofthousands OF laborers
furnished with remuneratiye employ
ment. In the Lake Superior region, in
the mines, in railroads necessary to mov-
Ing their products to lakes, in transpor-
hon over lakes, and in ore business of
railroads moving ores from the lower lake
ports to furnish al jacent States their ore. is
now employed S1S5, ,000,O0O in capital, with
all OF the labor occupation that such an
amount Of capital involves.
In other sections Of the country there
are similEy connected and independent
industries whose safety and ability to fur
nish employment to labor is measured BY
this proposed removal OF duty from Cuban
ores. That removal would close many
American mines. We do not ask the
American laborer 10 live on the miserable
wages OF the Spanish West Indies.
We recognize the necessity OF enlarged
markets. The increasing volume of our
products must be absorbed somewhere,
but it would be fatal policy to seek this
abroad Mt the sacrifice OF vital interests at
home. Our best and largest market is the
home market. The preservation and en-
larsement Of that is the first dictate OF a
true American policy. A successful ex-
terRal policy must start from that
economic premise. The proposed treaty
i'll our judgment will not stand the test,
and should be rejected. "a
Tobacco Interests and tho Spanish Treaty.
WASHINGTON, Dec. l7.-0scar Hammer
stun, Of New York, editor of the United
States Tobacco Journal, has had long in
terview with Minister Foster and Senator
Miller, OF California, Chairman OF the
Foreign Relations Committee, in regard to
the pending Spanish treaty, Mr.. Ham
mcrstun set forth that there arc yery
strong objections to the tobacco clauses OF
the treaty as now woried, but suggested
that these objections might be removed if
it were provided that the duty Oh tobacco
filters, etc, grown in Cuba shall be who'll
ly abolished and the present duty on
cigars reduced one.half. In reply he was
assured by Senator Miller and Minister
Foster that il the tobacco and cigar trade
will agree upon this or any other PROPOSE
tion to harmOnizc conflicting interests,
there is every reason to believe duty will
be fixed that is satisfactory. They said an
expression OF the wishes ofthetrade would
have great weight when thet treaty reaches
the point Of consideration for possible
amendments by tho Senate.