New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-12-11
A TEST QUESTION.

The attention of Democratic wise men, VINO
are about to renew agitation OF the tariff ques-
ton, is invited to few facts about steel rails.
1t is subject on which they are fond of speak
ing, not always with great knowledge or great
canduT.
The sales of domestic steel rails foT the year
1856 exceed 1850, 900 tons. The Iron Age,
which has Investigated the records and pub
fishes exceedingly interesting statistics on the
subject, has been able to trace the sales OF
1925 900 tons, so as to determine in what States
the rails are to be laid down. A few sales to
contractors, whose disposition of the rails
purchased cannot he traced, and the production
of rails from imported blooms, are not Included.
The /, 229, 900 tons marketed by American mills
went S25, 1O6 tons to Northern and 403, $50 to
Southern States But of the sales to Northern
States no less than 45O.S25 tons went west of
the Mississippi River, and of the sales to South
ern States 286. ASP tons went west of Louisiana
and that river so that at least 7oO,OOO TONS
were placed IN regions where foreign rails,
taken as talast OF at low freight rates to New
Orleans, Galveston and San Francisco, can be
delivered at low Price. Nor is that all. A
large part of the Northern consumption might
also have been supplied but for the duty,
either by imports at Atlantic ports. or by way
of the ST. Lawrence, and large part OF the
Southern demand could also have been supplied
by imports at Atlantic or Gulf ports.
What do the Demcc-a statesmen think the
condition of the iron industry would have
been to-day, or within the past five months, II
this enormous demand for steel rails cOnld have
been met by British and European makers?
What would have been. the state of trade in
New York, NewJersey, Pennsylvania. Ohio,
Virginia, West Virginia and Alabama, if there
had been no chance to sell this important
product of home industry except in level COM
petition with foreign rails which have been
offered, duty paid, at $3.50 at this pCrtf Or
would it have been good thing for trade and
industry generally, il the $40, 900, 900, more or
less, which foreign rails would have cost had
been paid to British and Belgian makers
instead of American fr.nsf The arrivals OF
gold from Europe, it is well known. have given
life and hope to all our markets. Stocks have
been lifted wonderfully; sales OF railway
securities amounting to many millions in value
have been made possible by this westward How
of he precious metal. But what ii, instead OF
paying to American makers over SAC, 100000
for steel rails the railroads had been paying
something less than $4O,OOO.0OO to foreign
makersi The railroads would have had more
money left, it may be said. True, If they had
been able to sell the same securities. But does
any sensible nan suppose that the sales OF rail-
way securities wonld have been helped by
enormous imports Of foreign gold. if there had
been this large additional SUN to pay abroad
for products impcftedf
What has been the effect for farmersf One
cannot help seeing that miners and iron
workers, railway builders, bridge builders and
car makers nave been benefited by this influx
Of foreign capital, but have the farmers gained
pothingf To those in the neighborhOOd of
Birmingham, Alabama, for instance, the great
improvement in the iron business has meant
higher values for all their land, and higher
prices for their products. To the farmers in
every other State which produces iron, the
same stimulating and helpful influence has
come. They have been enabled to pocket, IN
pay mept for farm products sold, a large part of
the $4O,O0O.0O0 expended for American steel
rails. Would it have been blessed thing for
them if the farmers of England. Belgium and
Germany had pOcketed the money instead
When Messrs. Morrison. Carlisle and Mills
have prepared to answer these questions salts
tactorily to American iron-workers and
American farmers they will be in less danger
of defeat than they were IN November. But
" hen they have that much knowledge they will
not be agitaling in favor of a free trade tariff.