The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-02-28
Tariff on Iron Ores.

1ler6 was u LlIl6 Ill GIl6 IeCcub pttob
when the introduction of steel into nearly
all the uses to which iron has been APP
piled, argued nnfayorably for the value of
the phosphoretic iron ores of Virginia.
That was when the Bessemer process of
making steel was the only accepted meth
cd for the manufacture of that article
Only the high grade ores of the Lakes,
with little phosphorus in them, and the
ores of Cuba, Spain and Africa, were in
demand for steel purposes. We had very
limited quantities of ores that were
suited for this use. In this condition OF
things, in proportion as steel took the
place of iron, the value of the Vir-
ginia hematites lessened, and the prospect
grew darker of ever realizing upon what
had been thought to be sources of wealth.
But new invention changed all this. The
discovery of the basic process of making
steel out of phosphoretic ores, such as we
have in great abundance in Virginia, at
once gave value to our iron ore districts,
and gave promise of entering our iron ores
in competition with ores adapted to steel
manufacture by the Bessemer process.
1t is now demonstrated by the most sat
isfactory practical tests that as good steel
can be. made by the basic process out Of the
Virginia phosphoretic ores as can be man.
ufactured out of foreign and Lake ores by
the Bessemer process. And as the Virginia
ores can be mined and marketed at much
less cost than the Lake ores, and iron made
at furnaces in our iron districts at much
lower prices than at any Of the Eastern or
Western plants, it follows that the Vir-
ginia iron interests must be greatly adj
vanced, if the basic process of manufac-
turing steel is brought into general use.-
The difficulty in the way Of this is the
slight tariff on foreign ores, and the dan
ger that, if the Democratic party gets
into power, even the inadequate tariff now
exacted would be removed. We find that
the Morrison tariff bill, recently intro
.duced in Congress, provides that iron ores
shall be admitted from foreign countries
free of duty. Mr.. Morrison is the Demo-
cratic Chairman of the Ways and Means
Committee. Mr.. Hewitt, a member Of
that Committee, and Democratic head
light, has recently formulated his views
in letter, and ON this point he agrees
with Mr.. Morrison. With this policy in
augurated, what would be the result The
high ores of Cuba, Spain and Africa,
minediby pauper labor and brought over
as ballast, would at once flood this coun-
try, and as necessary consequence, per-
petuate the Bessemer process, render val
ueless the basic process, and as legiti-
mate result, destroy the commercial prop
critics of the iron ores of this country, and
more especially those of Virginia. That
would be the end of iron manufacture in
Virginia.
What, then, is the plain and pressing
duty of the representatives of Virginia
and the South in Congress in view of these
facts ? 1t seems to us that it does not adj
NIT of argument that every vote from the
South in Congress, and especially from
Virginia, ought to be in favor of tariff
on foreign ores at least of $3.50 per ton.
Even at that duty we would not be able to
place the iron ores of Virginia at the fur
naces close to the seashore at the East and
North, to compete with foreign ores. de-
livered at trifling cost Of mining and a
nominal rate for ship transportation. The
effect, however, would be to encourage the
establishment OF. furnaces at our own
mines. and the manufacture of iron that
could be used in the making of steel by
the basic process. And in this way only
can the iron ore fields of Virginia and the
South be made valuable. and the seat Of
iron industries assured in the Southern
section of the Union. The development
and value of the iron districts Of Virginia
are dependent on the utilization of the ba-
sic process for making steel, for that is the
only method by which the iron manufac-
tured from our phosphoretic ores can be
made to answer the purpose of steel manu-
tacture. And both the value of the iron ores
of Virginia and the practical success Of the
basic process are dependent on the tariff
that will be imposed on foreign ores. The
present duty Of rs cents per ton is entirely
inadequate for the purpose, for, as we
have stated, 1t would not constitute a pro-
lection against the ores of foreign coun-
tries. mined under a system of mental
labor and brought over here as ship bal
last.
To our view it is strange that the repre-
sentatives in Congress from Virginia do not
see the interests of their constituents and
State in the light that we have presented
it. The Readjuster or Coalition members
and the two Senators are in favor OF a
higher duty than that now exacted. In
fact Gen. Malone, in the last Congress, land
as member of the Conference Commit
tee on the tariff, succeeded in having the
tariff on foreign ores increased from SO to
rs cents per ton, and really asked for 81
per ton but had to accept rs cents as a
compromise. Mr.. Tucker has somewhat
modified his opposition and now comedies