The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-09-30
While Southern Mills Can Produce Pig-Tron
at Low Cost, the Time Has Not
Come to Abolish the Tariff.
How the Friends of Silver Coinage Hope
to Make Use of the House Rules.
Congressional Prophets Predict that the
Coming Session Will Be Very Quiet
0ne-A Warm Campaign in Maryland.
PIG-IRoN IN THE SOUTH.
1t Is Cheaply Made, but Protection VIII Be
Needed for Awhile.

1t Is Cheaply Made, but Protection VIII Be
Needed for Awhile.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 29.-From time to time
the newspapers representing the Democratic
party, and especially those which follow the lead
of the Carlisle and Morrison wing, have made
public statements to the effect that the Southern
States were progressing so rapidly in the manu-
facture of pig-iron that they were no longer anx-
ious that tariff should be placed upon the i'm
ported article 1t has been asserted by news
papers of this class that the iron works in Bir-
mngham, Ala, have progressed so rapidly and
make this important product so cheapy that
they do not fear foreign competition at all, and
that, in fact, they place a ton of pig-iron
upon the market for the low price of eight dol
lars. Riding over the Allegheny Valley railroad
one day last week. on trip from Buffalo to Pitts
burg, your correspondent met Mr.. G. P. Will
hanson, of Birmingham, Ala, president of
the Williamson Iron Company. The conversation
naturally drifted into the subject of the produc-
ton of iron and incidentally into the tariff Mr..
Williamson was asked as to the truth of the
statements concerning the wonderful growth OF
the village of Birmingham, and the ability of
the iron mills there to compete with foreign
producers of pig-iron without the aid of the tar
if He replied;
Statements of our ability to produce cheap
pig-iron have been exaggerated to a considerable
extent. Those who have taken the trouble to
look into the matter have estimated that ton of
costs so much, and with SO much lime
and so much coke, and so much labor added to-
gether, they have estimated that we could make
pig iron for S. ton. All of these persons have
neglected to take into consideration the fact that
our plant has cost great many thousands of
dollars, and that each furnace after producing s.
certain number of TONS has to be blown out and
refined. In other words, they have estimated
only upon the material which goes into the pro-
duction of pig-iron, and have paid TO attention
to the fact that it costs a great deal of
money, aside from the labor and material,
to place goods upon the market A
day will undoubtedly come when the furnaces Of
the South will be able to get along without the
aid of tariff, but that day is not yet in sight
The South must first build up its manufactures
We have there no home market for our pig iron
product, and consequently, must ship it away
where it can be made into agricultural imple-
ments and machinery of all kinds. When we
ments for the manufacture of all kinds of ma
chinery and implements at our own doors
can then think of getting along without protec-
ton. Just at present, however, we must ask
that the protective tariff be not entirely re-
moved, or we should suffer greatly IN conse-
quence"
Mr.. Williamson went on to say that his compa-
ny is at present erecting furnaces, which
will not probably be used for some time as the
trade is extremely dull just at present but,
ing to the fact that labor is cheaper now than it
may be year or two hence, it was considered
good plan to prepare for the revival of business
which is expected in the near future. He expects
that the South will grow in manufactures each
year, and that it will not be many years before
the Southern States will be practically independ-
ent of the North in the manufacture of all kinds
of machinery and implements The fact that
the North has so much skilled labor is at present
a great advantage.