Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-10-21

AAE AubNtN mum bAAN maj hNN ANfNAA' VI tAAN
Iron Trade ReUieIo. of Cleveland, in an
attempt to disprove statements made by
Senator Sherman, the editor of the RCUleiC.
our old friend, Wilson NJ. Day, addressed
note to the Senator, in which he asked an
expression of his opinion, outside of the pO-
litical bounds of the question, a. to wheth-
er. in his Judgment, prices, especially of
pig iron, had reached the limit of their de
clension. The Senator'S reply is printed in
the issue of the Reuieir for October 10th,
and is interesting and valuable. both from
commercial and a political standpoint. 1t
is as follows:
MANSFIELD, O., Oct S, 1856.
Ny DEAR SIR-Gours Of the 9th, mquir-
ing my opinion whether prices, especially
Of mig iron. have reached the limit Of their
declension or not. is received. This is
question so purely a matter of conjecture
and of business sagacity founded upon eN-
peTience that | scarcely venture 10 answer.
but, in a general way. | can say that think
the great reduction of prices that has existed
for two years is now being relaxed by the
diminution of the supply and increased de
mand. This is likely 10 be disturbed by
the constant agitation shout the tariff du-
ties which will probably be brought TO
test at the next session of congress. If the
paper referred to had quoted INV remarks at
Portsmouth little more fully it would have
found that l anticipated an advance of
prices, but in spite OF the proposed action
of congress and of the democratic party.
Very truly yours,
JOHN SHERMAN.
W. NJ. DAY. ESQ.
On this the editor of the ReUier COM
ments, as follows:
Concerning one point, at least, in Senator
Sherman's letter there can be no dissent
among all classes of iron and steel man
ufacturers, and that is, that the most poten-
cial factor in the disturbance of the iron
markets is the distrust attending the fire.
guent agitation Of the tariff question. That
clement of uncertainty eliminated, the
present large selling movement would no
doubt 20 on miuterTuptedly, always pr0vld-
ing production is not fooliShly OyerdOne.
Nearly all that has ever been really ac-
complished for prohibition, has been brought
about through the efforts of the republicans.
Maine. Iowa and Kansas are republican
states, as are Vermont and Massachusetts,,
in which commonwealth the laws are
nearly If not quite prohibitory. In Georgia,
both republicans and democrats, in large
numbers, voted for prohibition, and there
is now movement toward prohibition in
side the republican party which is growing
il power. The fact in this matter is that
nine-tenths of the republicans in the cOun-
try are opposed to the saloon business and
desire to put whisky out of politics. A
kindred fact TO this is the fact that the pro
hibition party is on the wane. Ii Will cast
a greatly reduced vote, this year, in Iowa.
OHIO, Massachusetts. and in other states.
the fact that the prohibiiiOnists are not
little stirred over the announcement that +.
|. Aldrich, the late treasurer of the prohi-
bitiOn state central committee, and formerly
chairman of the Boston ward and city pro
hibition committees. has come out for Oliver
AmeS, the republican candidate for gov
ernOr. and there are hints that other leading
prohibiuonists are To follow Mr.. Aldrich's
example. These men have found that they
cannot efficiently promote their own cause
through their own party organization.
The Boston Pilot thinks that the first
dealer in any staple commodity who makes
the announcement, NO English goods sold
here" will find himself overwhelmed by a
surprising run of trade The Pilot is, as
matter Of course. especially hostile to Eng
land, but there is no real need of bringing
English or French goods TO America. We
N Ike better carpets than the English, and
our American woOlen and silk fabrics are
quite good enough for any American to wear.
AID now our China tableware seems 10 be
as good, cheap and durable as that which
CO nes from England or France. IL We
would quit importing goods OF the kinds
that can be produced in as good quality
here, and would continue TO export products
which England and the Continent must
have, We should have an immense balance
in our favor, and gold would be plenty on
tn 5 side of the ocean. And this is some
thing that is quite within our reach. All
we have to do is 10 be sensible and practical,
a. a people, and agree TO unite in promoting
our own interests and prosperity. A good
high tariff on all foreign goods, of the kinds
manufactured here, assists our patriotism
a this line.